


Blood over Ramen

by monbebextra



Series: What Is and What Should Never Be [1]
Category: GOT7, Monsta X (Band), Red Velvet (K-pop Band), Topp Dogg (Band), VIXX, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Angst, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Eventual Smut, F/M, Human/Vampire Relationship, M/M, Minor Character Death, Multi, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-17
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-03 12:48:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 87,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12748641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monbebextra/pseuds/monbebextra
Summary: Changkyun's plan was to move to Seoul and start fresh, but his first night in the city he had a run in with a vampire who had different plans for him. His life grew even more complicated when he realized the cute coworker he had a crush on, Wonho, also had a diet of blood. He began to fall for him as Wonho helped hide him from his rouge brother, the two facing even bigger problems as the days went on. Changkyun slowly begins to find his place within Wonho's family, standing by them even at the toughest times.





	1. Rooftop Moonlight

**Author's Note:**

> The chapter title is Rooftop Moonlight because of the song featured in it - Good Work, Today. Changkyun explained how he would listen to it before debut when he went from one part time job to another. It comforted him.

   Changkyun ran down the street, water splashing up from the concrete every time his boots collided with it. His teeth chattered, the cold air was not a good combination with the rainfall. The city lights danced around like blurry vision, his eyes obscured by raindrops. He had headphones in, so he didn’t hear the chaos around him, his feet running in time to the quickly paced beats of the song he was listening to. He tried to keep his breath even as he ran, but he hadn’t been in as good of shape as he used to be. He had lost too much mass, as well as other things. He couldn’t get out of this though… He couldn’t put his family in danger. For some reason, this monster had taken a liking to him. His plan was just to move to Seoul, start fresh, make it big, and take the money back to his family. If they let him come back. But now he had bigger problems.

   He was late again for his job, and he never took the city buses anymore after what happened to him the first night there. He still hadn’t gotten his license, so walking to work was all he had. It would have been fine if it hadn’t started pouring down rain. He tried to concentrate on the music and the rhythm in his feet as he ran, but he still shivered in the cold. He was passing by an alleyway when a hand reached out and grabbed him, pulling him sharply off his path. He collided with a chest, cursing internally when he realized who- _what_ it was.

   “ _Fuck_. Please, not tonight. I haven’t been feeling-“ He was cut off by a jerk to his arm, stumbling forward as Jooheon pulled him further into the dim lit alley. This was the most public he had been to date, he must be hungry if he was risking this much. “I have a job to get to, I have to be healthy for it! Please, you can come back for me afterward-“

   “Shut up.” With that Jooheon pushed Changkyun into the bricked wall, both hands on either side of his head. He boxed him in with a smile that Changkyun would never erase from his mind… not since the first night, he saw it. A sharp grin that cut into his cheeks, making his dimples prominent, which contrasted highly with the teeth Changkyun was so familiar with. It was terrifying how much he enjoyed toying with him.

   “Can we just get this over with… And I thought you liked when I was loud.” He knew he shouldn’t have said that the second the words left his mouth, because Jooheon got even closer to him, his smile widening sickeningly.

   “You’re finally getting a tongue on you. I like that.” He was so close, breath hot on Changkyun’s cheek. His lips brushed softly against it, and Changkyun flinched at the touch, hands balled into fists at his side. He closed his eyes, counting backward from ten in his head and repeating it over and over again, hoping it would be over soon. He shivered as cold rain fell down on his forehead, droplets trailing their way down his face and over his lips. Jooheon reached up to swipe his thumb over Changkyun’s lip, brushing the water away before kissing it softly. Changkyun felt the fear start to rise in him, which he didn’t understand. He’s done this before, it would be fine. The lips slowly moved to his ear, nibbling at his earlobe before trailing down his neck. Jooheon reached to open Changkyun’s jacket, pulling it so hard the button broke in the process. The rain was now running down his neck and soaking his t-shirt, every movement Jooheon made agonizingly slow.

   “Stop playing and just do it already.” Changkyun hissed, eyes still shut tight as his fingernails cut into the palms of his hands. Jooheon kissed the underside of his jaw, tracing his tongue over the pale white skin of his neck. His hands found Changkyun’s hips, digging his fingernails into them under his shirt and pinning him there against the wall. Changkyun yelped in pain when he gripped the spot where there were still bruises from the last time.

   “Can you be loud for me tonight?” Jooheon asked against his neck, the hot air making Changkyun shiver. He breathed in deeply and counted to three in his head, telling himself it would be over soon. The teeth sink into his neck right on queue, one of Jooheon’s hands moving again to push Changkyun’s head to the side and get a better angle. He cried out in pain, unable to hold it in, knowing Jooheon would enjoy that all the more. It felt like razor blades at first, but it became almost numbing after the blood started to flow out. The pulling sensation left him feeling dizzy, hips locked between Jooheon’s and the wall, the pressure making him feel breakable. Jooheon moved his other hand up to his shoulder, roughly shoving him further against the wall as he bit down harder in a new spot. Saying it hurt would be an understatement. It was an immeasurable pain that was different every time. When he felt himself about to faint from the loss of blood, Jooheon stopped, trailing rough kisses over the punctured skin. He chuckled to himself as Changkyun opened his eyes hazily, staring at the vampire in fear.

   “Please… Just leave me alone-“ He was cut off again by Jooheon’s mouth, this time attacking his lips. His kisses were rough as if he was trying to consume all of Changkyun whenever he was around. Hands moved down to his hips again, holding him in place so he wouldn’t fall, fingers pressing down even harder on the bruises just to get the painful moans out of him that Jooheon wanted so badly. Changkyun’s eyes began to close again as Jooheon bit into his lip and sucked the blood out of it. His hands traveled from Changkyun’s sides to his neck, getting a tight grip right over the fresh wound, which made Changkyun whimper. He tried his best to stay quiet because this bastard loved it when he was noisy. Just as he felt the darkness coming on and heard the ringing in his ears from low oxygen intake, Jooheon let go. Changkyun slid down the wall, unable to keep himself up on his own, feeling sick an used. When he was able to open his eyes again, Jooheon was already gone. It must have been too much this week because he felt all of his senses collapsing. If Jooheon wanted to keep him so badly as a blood bag, why would he bring him this close to death every time? And just leave him here.

   The shivering was nonstop, rain pouring down hard and washing all the dark red from his skin. There was blood everywhere, pooling in the puddles, on his shirt, his neck, his mouth. He tried to stand up, but he felt dizzy again and fell back onto the wet ground. He could feel himself losing consciousness as his eye caught sight of a figure standing against the wall opposite him. He tried to call for help but was too weak to form words. So he watched in silence as the shoes walked closer to him before everything sunk into darkness.

 

   He woke up in his bed with a terrible headache. The sun was coming in through the window and shining in his eyes, causing him to flinch and sink further into the covers. For a moment everything seemed normal, but then he felt a pain in his neck and all over his body. Last night wasn’t just another nightmare…

   He groaned, sitting up to look down at his clothes. He wasn’t wearing the same bloody white tee shirt he had on for work, but instead one of his oversized hoodies. He couldn’t remember how he had even gotten back home, or how he ended up in dry clothes. That must have been one hell of a feeding to make him forget this much. He lazily slid off the bed and made his way into the bathroom to see the marks on his neck, but what he found instead were white bandages and gauze. He widened his eyes, trying to make sense of it, as he looked back into his room to see if someone was there. Maybe he just forgot, and he was being paranoid. Maybe.

   He had a cut on his lip too, which made his lip swell and turn a purplish color. He reached up to touch the bandages softly, wondering how he was able to get them on correctly in the state he was in. He tried not to think about it, stripping off the hoodie and sweatpants before walking to turn the water on in the shower. He looked down and noticed some bruises on his hips from where Jooheon held him against the wall. There was a collection of them, never fully healing because Jooheon never gave him enough time. He would find him no matter how far Changkyun went. And now that he was threatening his mother, he couldn’t find it in himself to keep running from him.

   The warm water of the shower made him shake as if his skin was too delicate to handle it. He felt even weaker than before like he was just skin and bones at this point. He washed from head to toe twice, always feeling like garbage thrown to the side whenever Jooheon used him. He tried everything he could to get the guy off of him, but the bruises and puncture wounds always stayed as a harsh reminder of his reality.

   Later that day he walked to work, wearing a face mask and a heavy jacket. He was hoping not to be noticed by Jooheon, but then again he could probably find him by his scent. Hiding in plain sight just made him feel a little better, but he doused himself in countless perfumes just to be safer. When he finally made it to the doors of the coffee shop he worked in he almost cried tears of joy. He was safe for now.

   “Where were you for your shift yesterday?” The manager asked from behind the counter, eyes narrowed in his direction. He always found his expressions of anger quite funny, because the guy was so small. Changkyun bowed in apology before picking up his apron and tying it around his waist in one swift movement.

   “I had an emergency last night, family in the hospital. I’m sorry-“

   “This is the third family emergency this month, so either you’re lying to me or you have real sucky genetics,” Kihyun said with a smile, distracted from interrogating him when a pretty girl arrived in front of the counter with red cheeks. Changkyun just shook his head and walked into the back to put his stuff down, running straight into another worker as he did so.

   “I’m so sorry, I’m really out of it today, I-“ He looked up and gulped, wishing he had better luck than he did. He could have run into anyone else, _anyone_. “Ah, Wonho Hyung… sorry I missed our shift yesterday.” He said, feeling his cheeks heating up already. _Calm down, Changkyun_. Wonho didn’t smile, he just looked concerned, reaching out to move Changkyun’s jacket to the side to reveal his bandage.

   “Please take better care of yourself.” He said with a frown before pushing past Changkyun and walking towards the front. “And wear less perfume, dude, you smell like the inside of a clothing chain store.” Changkyun stood there confused for a few moments, trying to comprehend what just happened.

   It was a pretty busy day, and the whole time he felt his coworker’s eyes on him. He and Wonho had been pretty friendly with each other, but he couldn’t understand why he was so worried about Changkyun’s well being all of a sudden. He had come in to work before with bandages and bruises and black eyes before, the boss never said much of it and Wonho was usually quiet. Now Changkyun felt eyes on his neck the entire time he made drinks, it was kind of unnerving. It didn’t help that he’d had a crush on Wonho since he’d started working there a year ago, that just made things even more complicated.

   As he was cleaning up after his shift and leaving to grab his things Wonho grabbed his hand. His grip was rough, but his smile was that of pure innocence. He laughed when Changkyun jumped in fear at his sudden touch.

   “I didn’t mean to scare you, Kyun. I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to grab some dinner with me tonight.” He said, looking almost nervous, which wasn’t like him at all. Changkyun just stood there staring at him slack-jawed, trying to form words but failing terribly. Why the hell would Wonho want to have dinner with _him_?

   “Um, I- I uh…”

   “I just don’t want you walking home alone tonight, you look like you’re about ready to keel over.” He continued, eyes lighting up at Changkyun’s awkwardness. Damn, he was beautiful.

   “Are you worried about me, hyung?” Changkyun asked with a smirk, trying to gain some confidence back before it was lost completely.

   “Stop stalling, I’m starving.” He said, pouting his lips in a way that had Changkyun looking away with red cheeks. God, he was weak. One cute boy smiling at him and his legs were gelatin. He barely had time to say anything else before Wonho grabbed his hand again, dragging him out of the coffee shop while Kihyun yelled after them. Wonho was leaving his shift early.

   “You’re going to lose money-“

   “It’s alright,” Wonho said, hand sliding down Changkyun’s wrist to lace his fingers through his. Changkyun knew he must be bright red, which was definitely the cause for the amused look on his hyungs face. Why the fuck was he holding his hand? They were friends, yes. They ate together sometimes, yeah. But they haven’t really hung out much, and…

   “I don’t want you falling over on me. Keeping you upright.” Wonho answered his thoughts with a wink, lifting their connected hands to prove his point. Changkyun laughed nervously, continually telling himself that Wonho was just a really nice person and this didn’t mean anything more than that.

   It was already dark outside, and Changkyun was afraid Jooheon would show up again. Wonho noticed his uneasiness and held on tighter, eyes straightforward and serious. Something about the look in Wonho’s eyes made him feel a little safer. Changkyun scanned the city streets for a good restaurant, wanting to get off the streets as quickly as he could, but Wonho already had something in mind. They were stood in front of a family owned ramen restaurant, Wonho’s serious expression suddenly becoming one of an excited child.

   “You’re kidding, right?” Changkyun asked, getting his answer as Wonho stepped inside the restaurant and pulled him in behind him. When they were inside he finally let go of his hand, and Changkyun cursed himself for missing the warmth of it. Wonho seemed to know the people who worked there, so they got seated pretty quickly, Changkyun still not having enough time to comprehend the situation he was forced into. He hadn’t had much of a social life ever since Jooheon found him. His life consisted of going to work, constantly living in fear on the streets, and becoming a personal blood bag at least four times a week. Jooheon had been finding him more often these days, he felt like he would be dead by the end of the week if the guy found him again.

   They were sat in a booth, two bowls of ramen in front of them. Changkyun tried to eat a few bites, flinching when the warm food came in contact with the cut on his lip. Wonho looked at him with sad eyes, looking as if he was trying to say something but couldn’t form the words. That was a first for him, the guy was usually the epitome of charisma.

   “I’m fine,” Changkyun answered for him, faking his best smile as he pushed past the pain and ate some more. Wonho still frowned at him, but within minutes he was absorbed in his own food. Changkyun had never met anyone else who loved ramen this much.

   “I’ve been working with you for a year, and I still don’t know much about you, Kyun. Tell me about yourself. I’m curious.” He said with a smile, Changkyun almost choked on his ramen. He fidgeted uneasily in his seat, wondering what brought on the sudden interest in him from this hyung.

   “Uh, what do you want to know?” He asked, faking confidence with another smirk. Wonho seemed amused by this, which did not help his self-esteem in the slightest.

   “What’s your favorite color?” He asked with a laugh, lifting some more ramen from his bowl. He did everything with such ease, Changkyun couldn’t tell if he wanted to be him or wanted to be with him. All it took was another smile to confirm the latter.

   “White. What’s yours?” He asked, taking a sip of his drink with unsteady hands. He felt like he was on a teenage date, and he was never good at those.

   “Green. What brought you to Seoul last year?” He asked, Changkyun raising his eyebrows at the sudden change of depth to the questions.

   “Fresh start. I wanted to become a musician, which didn’t go as planned.” He said with a shrug, Wonho jutting out his lips with confused interest.

   “Musician, huh. You sing?”

   “I didn’t get to ask you a question-“

   “My idea, my rules. You sing?” He asked again, a playful look in his eyes. Changkyun shook his head, breathing out a laugh.

   “Kind of, yes. I compose music sometimes, and I- I rap.” He felt his cheeks becoming warm again, and could only imagine how pathetic he looked right then. Wonho didn’t laugh, he just seemed interested.

   “I sing sometimes too, we should work together someday-“

   “Why did you come to Seoul?” Changkyun cut him off, making sure he got his question in. Wonho seemed taken aback for just a second, but he seemed to enjoy the sudden boost of confidence.

   “Family. What is your favorite pass time?” Wonho was already almost finished with his ramen, sitting back in his seat with a smile. Changkyun looked down at his bowl, not wanting to look at that smile again and make a fool of himself.

   “I don’t do much. Just work. But I do like movies-“

   “Great! Then that’s what we’re going to do next time.” Wonho exclaimed, sitting up in the seat and reaching over to mess up Changkyun’s hair. This guy didn’t seem to have any boundaries at all. Changkyun couldn’t complain though, he was enjoying it.

   “Next… time?”

   “Yeah. Don’t you want to hang out more? So you don’t have to walk home alone at night, of course.” Changkyun was able to breathe again… Wonho was just worried about him. That was all it was, he was a nice guy who was worried about his dongsaeng. There was no way in hell that he actually liked Changkyun in _that_ way.

   “I can take care of myself, hyung-“

   “It doesn’t look like it,” Wonho said, reaching across the table to poke his bandage. He flinched slightly at the touch, not because it hurt, but because of the feeling of Jooheon’s hand around his neck never leaving his head. Wonho looked like a kicked puppy, pulling his hand back suddenly and apologizing. “You don’t have to tell me what’s wrong. I just want to help you get home safe at least. We live in the same area so why not?” Changkyun reached up to run a hand through his hair, trying to figure out what to do about this situation. A cute boy asks him out, for protection, but even still he _did_ ask him out. But on the other hand, a vampire uses him weekly and he could be putting the cute boy in danger. He didn’t want to put anyone else in Jooheon’s line of fire.

   “I… I’m sorry, I have to go.” He said, taking out cash from his wallet and leaving it on the table as he stood up. Wonho caught his hand as he turned to leave, pulling him around to face him.

   “Please, just let me walk you home.” He didn’t look upset, his face was serious. Changkyun shook his head, pulling his hand away before walking out of the Ramen House. He didn’t look back, not wanting to see the expression on Wonho’s face. God he hated his life. A cute boy asked him out, a cute boy he _likes_ , and he can’t because a thirsty bloodsucker continually drains him.

   He pulled his jacket closer around himself, putting his scarf on to better cover up his neck. Jooheon shouldn’t bother him tonight, but he had to be careful anyway. The walk seemed longer than usual, and he wished he would have let Wonho join him. He would have felt safer, but he would have also felt guilty the whole time putting him in a dangerous position. He began to feel a little safer when he made it to his street, but just as he thought he was clear, he felt a cold hand grab his.

   “We’re in the middle of the street, Jooheon, you’re really trying to get caught now?” He asked, not even having to look to know. The grip on his hand got even tighter to the point where he was sure the nails drew blood, and before he knew it he was being pushed inside the abandoned building on third street.

   “If you take too much more, you’ll never be able to take any again-“

   “Then I’ll just find a new toy, you’re disposable,” Jooheon growled, pushing him back into the wall and kissing him violently. Changkyun hated it, he wished he would just bite him and get it over with, but he liked playing with his food. The cut on his lip started to bleed again and Jooheon drew even more blood from it. He slowly moved to the underside of his jaw, taking off Changkyun’s scarf and tearing off the bandage with his free hand. His hands moved to his jacket, unbuttoning it with rushed movements. He pushed the jacket off of him completely and tore at the neckline of his white shirt. He had to stop wearing white.

   “If I’m so disposable, then why don’t you just kill me? Why kiss me?” Changkyun asked, head leaning back against the wall as Jooheon kissed down his neck. He didn’t know what Jooheon’s response would be, but either way, he had given up. He couldn’t even have a normal life, so what was the point of living just to be a source of food? Jooheon was ignoring him, fingers playing at the hem of his shirt and pulling it off. He kissed under his jaw and down his neck, avoiding the wounds from before. He bit down lightly on his collarbone, arms moving around his bare back to bring him closer. Changkyun winced, shutting his eyes as Jooheon’s lips moved down even further to his chest. For some reason he liked him this way, it distracted him from the hunger, and Changkyun suddenly realized what he had to do. He kept a wooden stake with him always, just a small one the size of a pocket knife in his back pocket. He didn’t know if they even worked on vampires like the myths say, because up until a year ago he thought they were just myths. If he could distract Jooheon long enough…

   Changkyun slowly moved his hands up to place them on either side of Jooheon’s head, bringing him back up to his eye level and kissing him harshly. He turned them around, pushing Jooheon back against the wall and deepening the kiss. He felt awful, but it had to be done. Jooheon seemed surprised, but he didn’t pull away, he just got more aggressive. Changkyun closed his eyes, he didn't want to see him, Wonho’s smile flashing in his mind for a second. He quickly pushed it away. Not now.

   “Are you trying to save your life by seducing me?” Jooheon asked against his mouth, his voice a low growl. He let out a soft moan when Changkyun pinned him against the wall with his hips, hands running up under Jooheon’s shirt and over his bare chest. He moved the kiss to Jooheon’s neck, giving him a taste of his own medicine as he left small bruises behind.

   “Because you’re gonna have to try harder than that,” Jooheon said with a laugh, a sharp pain suddenly cutting into the undamaged part of his neck. He went limp against Jooheon, panic rising in him as he felt more blood leaving his system. The pulling sensation hurt, but if he moved an inch it hurt even worse. He stood as still as he possibly could, like a rag doll just for Jooheon’s amusement. Jooheon pulled away for a second before moving to the other side of his neck and biting down over his wound from the night before. Changkyun couldn’t stifle his cries then, Jooheon’s hands digging into the bruises on his hips to keep him steady. _Please just let me die._

   He slowly moved his hand to his back pocket, waiting until Jooheon was completely immersed in the blood before reaching for his stake. His vision was starting to get darker, the room around him seeming to spin. He had lost too much blood, he wouldn’t make it in time to kill him. He tried anyway, having nothing to lose now. He screamed, Jooheon biting down even harder as he swung his arm around with the weapon, using all his strength to stab it into Jooheon’s chest. He was forcibly pushed back into the wall, so hard he banged his head against it and fell. Jooheon staggered backward, blood dripping from his mouth as he looked at Changkyun with wide eyes. His hand was on the wooden stake protruding from his chest, but he didn’t seem worried about it. Just as he was about to lose vision he saw Jooheon laugh, pulling the stake out and throwing it behind him.

   “I can’t believe you actually tried to kill me with that thing. And here I was starting to think you were into me.” Jooheon said, kneeling in front of him with a smirk that could kill all on its own. He bit his lip in a hungry anticipation, looking at Changkyun like a snack. Changkyun spat on him, which just made him even angrier. “Fine, I guess I’m done with you. Can’t be leaving evidence behind though, can we?” Changkyun closed his eyes, hand reaching up his chest to find the cross necklace he was wearing. His mom gave it to him before he came to this city, he never took it off.

   “Dear God, if you’re listening… Please have mercy on me-“

   “You’ve got to be kidding me… You’re praying?” Jooheon said, swinging his fist at Changkyun’s jaw. The pain was sharp, but he was already starting to become numb to everything.

   “-may you help my family through these hard times-“

   “I can’t believe this.”

   “- and forgive my sins-“ Changkyun coughed up some blood as Jooheon tore into his neck again, apparently insistent in getting every last drop from him. “Lead me… to-“ His vision started to darken, and the hold on his cross fell limp. “-paradise. In Jesus’s name… Amen.” He closed his eyes, just waiting for it all to be over. He had started shaking, his head felt like it weighed a thousand pounds, ringing in his ears making him nauseous and dizzy at the same time.

   He had lost too much blood, but he couldn’t even feel Jooheon on him anymore. He heard a mix of yelling and crashing sounds coming from far away, but he couldn’t really tell where he was at that point. He could barely even feel his own body, he knew he wouldn’t be part of this Earth much longer. Within moments he felt like he was being lifted off the ground by someone, but he couldn’t tell if it was just the failing sensation the blood loss caused. He thought of his mother, keeping her warm image in his head as he began to lose consciousness.


	2. There is light. For sure there is.

   Wonho picked up Changkyun from the floor of the abandoned building, the boy heavier than he had initially expected. Jooheon had told him to get rid of the body, burn it even if he was still breathing. Wonho had simply nodded to Jooheon to get the guy to leave, having his own plans for Changkyun. He looked down at the small boy cradled in his arms, bringing his head close to Changkyun’s mouth to see if he could tell if he was still breathing. The breath was weak, but he was still alive. He cursed himself for still not having a car, running as fast as he could with Changkyun in his arms down the back streets that he knew Jooheon wouldn’t be walking through. He had to get to Min, he could trust him with anything, and Min had been angry with Jooheon ever since he started messing with Changkyun anyway. Wonho knew that it was for more than one reason, but he didn’t ask. Either way, Min had a car, and it was his best chance to get him to a hospital.

Their apartment wasn’t too far away, but by the time he got to the door he was out of breath, shoulder leaning against the doorway in exhaustion. He used all his strength to keep Changkyun in his arms while he elbowed the buzzer, letting it ring continuously before a very angry Minhyuk picked up the line.

“I don’t want to come to your Church of Christ, trust me he wouldn’t welcome me. Please leave-“

“Minhyuk, it’s me, come down and help me please.” Wonho breathed, hearing the line cut off almost immediately. He closed his eyes and breathed out a sigh, leaning back down to check on Changkyun’s breathing as the door to the apartment complex flew open.

“What’s wrong?! Are you alright?! What-?” Minhyuk stopped rambling when he saw the boy in Wonho’s arms. “Is that…?” He took a few steps forward, gently moving the hair out of Changkyun’s eyes. “He did this?” He asked quietly, faltering a little bit when he saw the gruesome marks on either side of the boy’s neck. Wonho suddenly felt terrible, but he needed the help.

“Yes, get it through your head already. Jooheon is… It doesn’t matter, I need your car.” Wonho said, looking at Minhyuk with pleading eyes.

“You don’t know how to dr-“

“Then drive me, God damnit!” Wonho felt bad for lashing out, but he couldn’t waste time. Changkyun didn’t have much left, and it was his fault for not growing the balls to do this earlier. Minhyuk just nodded, running back inside the apartment real quick to grab his keys and a blanket before they headed for his car. It was a block over, and by the time they stopped running Wonho thought his legs were going to fall off. Min got in the driver’s seat and Wonho got in the back, wrapping the blanket around Changkyun and using his hands to keep pressure on the wounds so he wouldn’t bleed out anymore. He was surprised at how calm and collected Min was with the strong scent of blood so close, because it took everything in Wonho not to give into it as he stared down at the red covering his hands. Changkyun was his friend. He had to help him. He couldn’t be weak now.

Minhyuk was never the safest driver, he loved speeding, especially in a crisis. Wonho was surprised they even made it to the hospital in one piece. The second the car stopped he jumped out, pulling Changkyun back into his arms and running inside before Minhyuk could try to take him for him. He had to do this, no matter how tired he was. Min left to park the car as he went up to the front desk, getting suspicious looks from patients and nurses alike that were walking around.

“I need help, my friend is dying! There was an accident, he lost too much blood, _please_!” He shouted, the nurse behind the desk nodding frantically and dialing a number. Before he knew it Changkyun was being taken from his arms and put on a stretcher. He tried to follow, but nurses pushed him away. He figured it wasn’t in his best interest to start a fight in a hospital, so instead he went to the bathroom to wash the blood off of his hands before the smell was too overpowering.

Minhyuk met him in the waiting room. He looked small, and his eyes were red. Wonho pulled him into a hug once he saw him, apologizing for bringing him into this mess.

“It’s okay. We’ll try to help Jooheon, and things will get better. Things will get better…” He kept soothing him, even though most things he said felt like lies leaving his lips. Minhyuk and Jooheon had been very close early on, one could say too close. Jooheon was the reason Minhyuk was in this position. They dated freshmen year of college when a terrible accident happened to Jooheon. He stopped coming to class, and Min thought that he had done something wrong in the relationship to not gain his trust while he was going through such a hard time. But when he found out what exactly happened to Jooheon, the guy’s teeth were already in his neck. Minhyuk used to tell Wonho stories of how he would let Jooheon use him whenever he was hungry, just so he wouldn’t hurt anyone else, until one day when he went too far. Jooheon panicked when he thought he’d killed Min, so he turned him. Figuring that was the only way to keep him with him. Wonho couldn’t imagine doing that to someone he loved.

They shared a silence between them in the waiting room, neither one knowing how to go about the aftermath of this situation. If… _When_ Changkyun got better, he couldn’t just go back to his life. Jooheon would find out and make sure he was taken care of. Not only would he come after Wonho and Min, but he wouldn’t hesitate to kill the boy either. Wonho had to keep Changkyun hidden. The problem was gaining his trust when he found out what Wonho was.

“He can stay with us.” Minhyuk spoke up, eyes on the ground. Wonho gawked at him, trying to comprehend what he had just said. “Don’t look at me like that. You like him, right? He can stay with us. Safer than any other alternative.” He said, clutching his hands together before they could start shaking. Wonho smiled at him, reaching over to place his hand over his.

“Thank you, Min. Thank you so much.” He whispered, Minhyuk finally lifting his eyes to him with a smile. As sad as his eyes looked, his smile was always sincere.

“Just promise me you won’t make the same mistakes as Jooheon did.” He said, Wonho noddingand squeezing Minhyuk’s hand in assurance.

“I promise.”

 

He stayed in the hospital waiting room for an entire night before the nurses gave in and let him sit in Changkyun’s room. Minhyuk headed home, so Jooheon wouldn’t get suspicious. Wonho took a seat next to the bed, the room completely silent apart from the beeping of the machine Changkyun was hooked to. He looked so peaceful, eyes closed and face like an angel. There were bruises on his arms and on his jaw. His lip had a pretty deep cut, knowing Jooheon he never let it heal. Wonho found himself getting angry at the thought of Jooheon’s lips on Changkyun. He had already been angry about the way he used him, but seeing the cut there made him realize just how much Jooheon was using him. He wanted to scream, to go track down Jooheon himself and kill him, but he tried to keep calm.

He slowly reached out for Changkyun’s hand, gently tracing over each finger with quiet contemplation. He looked as thin as paper, as if he might crumble if Wonho held on too tight. He quickly pulled his hand back, not trusting himself, and sat back in the seat.

A few days passed, and the doctors began to get concerned about Wonho. They asked him what his connection to the patient was, if he had a job he was missing, or if he’d even eaten anything recently. Wonho just shook his head each time and refused to answer, he couldn’t leave until Changkyun was okay.Once he was awake, there was a lot that needed to be explained. He wished things never got this bad, that Jooheon never picked Changkyun, that Changkyun never came to this city at all. The boy deserved so much more, and Wonho couldn’t give him anything but a false sense of security.

“Wonho?” Wonho was dragged out of his thoughts by Changkyun’s voice. He sat forward, smiling when he saw Changkyun's eyes blinking in his direction. “Am I…Am I in Hell?” Wonho laughed for a long time, which probably confused Changkyun even more, but he couldn’t take just how accurate that statement was.

“So what, you see me and automatically think you’re in Hell? Wow, must have been a really bad date then, huh?” He asked with a smile, sitting forward to find Changkyun’s hand again. He gained a little more confidence now that the boy’s eyes were open and there was more color to his face, so he held on gently. Changkyun looked terrified.

“Our… date?” He asked, looking down at Wonho’s hand and shaking his head before looking away. “How did I…? I thought I was dead.” He said softly, Wonho holding onto his hand tighter for reassurance.

“You basically were. If I didn’t get there sooner you might have been. I’m really sorry about Jooheon. I can’t express just how sorry I am.” Wonho said, anxiety bubbling up in his chest while he sat and waited for Changkyun to freak out. He hadn’t prepared for this, as long as he’d been there, he just wished for Changkyun to wake up but didn’t know what to do next. Min was always better at these things than he was.

“You know-?”

“Yes.”

“You know he is-?”

“Uh huh.”

“You-“ Changkyun pulled his hand away, the gesture breaking Wonho’s heart. “You’re one of them?”

“Yes, but-“

“You’re here to finish the job-?”

“Changkyun, no, listen to me. Just hear me out. I’m here to help you. I’m the one who brought you here, why would I try to kill you?” He asked, frowning at him. Changkyun moved to the far side of the bed, trying to get as far away from Wonho as he could. Wonho couldn’t understand why it hurt him so bad. Maybe he did really like him… that wouldn’t be good.

“I… I promise I won’t hurt you. I’m sorry I wasn’t truthful from the start. But we don’t have time to go over all of this now. Jooheon thinks you’re dead. We want to make sure he doesn’t find out otherwise-“

“We?” Changkyun asked, eyes widening “there are more of you? How many fucking vampires are in Seoul? Why can’t you guys just leave me the fuck alone?!” He started to raise his voice and Wonho shushed him, looking out of the corner of his eye to see if any nurses were coming. This was not a good time to make a scene. Wonho knew the one thing that would make any part-time worker in their twenties who lived in Seoul follow him out.

“You don’t have insurance, do you?” He asked quietly, looking out the door at the doctors walking past. Changkyun looked more terrified of the bill, suddenly forgetting about his other problems.

“Well… No. But I haven’t been here too long, have I?” He asked, looking back to Wonho with the same fear in his eyes. Wonho smirked, shaking his head.

“You have. Ah shucks… guess you’ll have to come with me. What a pity.” He said, watching humorously as Changkyun’s eyes narrowed at him in anger.

“If I do, and that is a big _if_ , that doesn’t mean I trust you. You have to earn that back, Hoseok.” Wonho winced at the use of his real name, turning away to look back out the door. He nodded before taking his phone out to call Minhyuk, hoping like hell he wasn’t busy at the moment. The doctors didn’t even know Changkyun was awake yet, this was their best chance.

“Min, he’s up. I need your help. Meet me outside.” Wonho said, hanging up the phone the second Min agreed and reaching out to gently take the I.V. out of Changkyun’s arm.

“Hey! A little warning-!”

“Keep your voice down. Don’t make me use other ways of keeping you quiet.” He said, quirking an eyebrow at Changkyun and flashing his red eyes for a second. Changkyun didn’t jump at it like most humans would, he was too used to vampires at this point. He just looked frustrated.

“I hate you.” He hissed, Wonho ignoring him as he picked him up off of the bed and pulled him into his arms. “I hate you so much, I’ll never, ever, trust you again.” He continued, trying to hit Wonho where it mattered. Wonho just ignored him, walking towards the door and peering out. It was almost the middle of the night, the night shift had begun and the doctors that were usually with Changkyun went home. “You are a monster-“

“Hey now, it’s not nice to discriminate-“

“Then put me the fuck down and let me walk. It will make this easier.” He said, hitting his fists against Wonho’s chest. God, this was going to be a long night. He rolled his eyes, slowly letting go of Changkyun and letting him stand on his own. When he began to sway the slightest bit, Wonho caught his arm.

“See, I’m just trying to help.” He said, frowning as Changkyun pushed him away again and leaned against the wall.

“Just… help me from a distance. For now.” Changkyun said softly, reaching up to grab the cross necklace that was around his neck. Wonho looked away, eyes returning to search for a getaway. Once there was an opening, a stretcher coming in with nurses surrounding it and doctors running down the hall to help in a frenzy, he grabbed onto Changkyun’s hand and walked out in plain sight. Wonho made sure to use the back door, even if they hadn't been noticed.Once outside Minhyuk was already there, the guy was always on time when he needed him. Wonho smiled, pulling a complaining Changkyun along and sticking him in the backseat before joining Min in the front. Once they started down the road, he felt like he could breathe again. Until more questions came.

“Okay you helped me, are you going to let me go now?” Changkyun asked sharply, crossing his arms in the backseat. Min laughed, looking over at Wonho with raised eyebrows.

“You haven’t told him? You’re really bad at this.” Min said, as if Wonho was simply asking Changkyun to move in with him for any other reason than keeping him safe from a blood thirsty vampire they worked for.

“Uh… Well… Changkyun. How would you feel about living with-?”

“ _Fuck_ no. Bring me home.” Wonho flinched, looking to Minhyuk for help. Min just shook his head, this wasn’t his problem to solve. Wonho sighed, turning around in his seat to looked back at Changkyun. His exterior was confident, but Wonho could tell he was still afraid.

“At least just for now. To keep you safe. Until we can deal with Jooheon. This is Minhyuk, my brother, and one of the kindest men I know. We’ll both do all we can to keep you safe.” Wonho said, Changkyun’s face never changing. “You can’t go back home yet, or to work, because Jooheon would know. While he’s in the state that he’s in we’re going to make sure you’re not in his path. And I’m sorry, but Traveler Coffee… it’s also run by a vampire.” Wonho said, looking forward immediately and bracing himself for the impact of Changkyun’s yelling. It never happened though, and he turned back around to see if the boy had had a stroke or something.

“ _Kihyun_? Our boss? He’s a fucking _vampire_? You know what… that actually makes the most sense out of this whole scenario. He is a bitch. I’m not that surprised.” Wonho just stared at him at a loss as Min broke down laughing. At least a little bit of the tension was gone when the humor broke through.

“Um, yeah. So that’s why you’re better off with us-“

“Do you even have food? Do you have beds? You don’t sleep do you-?”

“We don’t live in coffins, Kyun. And we can still eat human food, I have a lot of ramen.” Wonho said with a laugh, shaking his head at the boy. “There is so much you have to learn about us.”

"Well then why don't you tell me?" Changkyun asked, Minhyuk shrugging towards Wonho. He had a point. 

"I will. You need rest first, it would be too much all at once. We'll finish playing our twenty questions game tomorrow when you wake up. Okay?" Wonho asked, hoping like hell Changkyun would give in. If he didn't, the overload of information might make him run for it. That would do no good but lead him straight back into Jooheon's grasp. 

"Twenty questions?" Minhyuk asked while Changkyun was still contemplating the answer. Wonho felt his cheeks turning a shade of red so he looked out the window so neither of them would notice.

"Yeah. We started asking each other questions on our date... our lunch... I brought him to dinner." Wonho stuttered, hearing Minhyuk try to stifle his laughter. He was a mess. 

"Fine. Tomorrow. You tell me everything." Changkyun said, probably feeling a little more confident now that he'd witnessed Wonho implode from sheer embarrassment like a school girl. 

 

When they made it back to the apartment there was another car outside. Min didn’t seem to give it a second glance, but Wonho stiffened up. Hyungwon hadn't been home in awhile, once Jooheon went rouge he focussed on trying to contact Shownu. Not that he was a threat to Changkyun, just another thing to stress him out. Wonho reached for Changkyun’s hand as they got out of the car, but Changkyun pushed it away.

“Earn. Your. Trust.” He said, walking past him and following Min to the door. Wonho groaned, following behind them as they buzzed in.

_Who is that human you have with you?_

Hyungwon’s voice came through in his head, causing Wonho to roll his eyes.

_I like him, don’t ruin this for me. Be nice._

He thought, watching Changkyun’s back as the climbed up the stairs. Every time Changkyun seemed the least bit unbalanced, Wonho put his hands out to steady him. When they made it to the door it was already wide open. Hyungwon was sat on the couch with a robe on, a shit eating grin on his face. Changkyun backed into Wonho when he saw him, reaching behind to grab onto his hand without realizing what he was doing.

“Sorry, Kyun, this is our other roommate-“

“-the name is Chae Hyungwon. Nice to meet you, Changkyun.” Hyungwon flashed a smile and Wonho stuck his tongue out at him. He was trying too hard, the guy really knew how to fall into the concept of an upperclass-wannabe Dracula. He said it was only because of the vampire thing, but Wonho knew he just liked the attention. Changkyun looked at him one more time before turning around and staring up at Wonho angrily.

“Another… fucking… _vampire_?!” Changkyun yelled, Wonho flinching at the close proximity as Changkyun’s face basically turned a shade of red.

“I mean, we used to fuck, but I would just label myself a vampire. Wonho’s not really my type. Too needy.” Wonho felt his cheeks turn bright red and Changkyun widened his eyes at him. Apparently the situation was just too funny for Minhyuk, because he was practically on the floor from laughing so hard. Wonho tried to open his mouth to say something, but instead just grabbed ahold of Changkyun’s shoulders and pushed him towards his room.

“To answer your question, Changkyun, he is good in bed. You’re welcome.” Hyungwon yelled after them, Wonho slamming the door to his room to cut him off. Changkyun stood in front of him with the hint of a smirk on his face. He was going to murder Hyungwon by the end of the night, he just knew it. Wait… Changkyun was thinking … _that_?

“How did he-? Did dracula just read my mind?” Changkyun asked, stepping backwards to get further away from Wonho again. Wonho nodded with a sigh, walking around him to go and sit on his bed.

“Yeah, he’s something. We can’t all do that. Hyungwon’s just different. He had some form of the gift before he was turned, and then it just became intensified.” Wonho said dully, crossing his legs and pulling on the hoodie that was lying on his bed. Changkyun just stared at him without making any moves. He didn’t sit down, he didn’t try to run, he didn’t start yelling. Wonho started to wonder if he was still breathing.

“This is too much. It has to be Hell, I have to be dead.” He said, beginning to pace until his legs got wobbly and he fell towards the bed. Wonho caught him before he could fall all the way, helping him rest against the backboard. He didn’t seem very pleased with Wonho, which was a huge understatement, but he also didn’t seem to have any other choice. Wonho scooted away from him, sitting on the other side of the bed to give him space. When he felt Changkyun’s eyes on him, he thought it was okay to look over.

“Wonho? How do I know I’m not dead?” Changkyun asked in a small voice, crossing his legs and turning to face Wonho. The sound of his voice made Wonho want to cry almost as much as the bruises on his face.

“When I died, in that small period between the death and becoming a vampire… it felt like nothing. I’m really hoping that is because I was destined to come straight back, because I expected some sort of white light but all I got was darkness. I couldn’t feel anything, I didn’t care about anything, I wasn’t anything. If you were dead, and you’re not in Heaven or some other form of the afterlife which I hope exists, than you’re here. You’re alive. Here, hold out your hand.” Wonho said, smiling calmly at Changkyun so he would trust him more. Changkyun slowly lifted his hand, Wonho reaching out to grab it. “You feel this? You’re warm, you’re alive, you have a pulse in your wrist.” Wonho said, still smiling, Changkyun finally smiling back before taking his hand away again.

“Thanks… For saving me.” His voice was barely louder than a whisper, but it made Wonho smile.

“Well… you still owe me a movie.” He answered, causing the boy to look down at his lap awkwardly. Wonho swore he saw the hint of a blush on his cheeks. He knew Changkyun used to have some sort of a crush on him, but he could never do anything about it because of what he was. Not to mention Jooheon basically claimed him as his property. 

“Earlier,” Changkyun started, looking up at him with his brows furrowed, “you said first date?” He asked, making Wonho laugh nervously. He wanted to think of it as that, because he had imagined it happening that way so many different times in his head. But he couldn't let Changkyun know that, because that just put him in an even harder position, and Wonho never wanted to hurt him. Suddenly the door opened and Hyungwon stuck his head inside, glaring towards Wonho. He knew whatever was about to come out of that man’s mouth would not be good, so he braced himself for the worse.

“This is ridiculous. He likes you, you like him but you’re confused because he’s a vampire. Oh no, what a tragic story. Just get over it and fuck already, your minds are too loud for this house.” He said, winking at Changkyun before leaving the room. Changkyun just stared at the door with wide eyes, muttering things in english that Wonho couldn’t understand.

“I… He… What? He’s got this wrong. Hey, I’ll set you up in the guest room for the night.” Wonho stuttered, getting up off the bed awkwardly and grabbing some extra sheets and blankets from the closet. Changkyun hesitantly followed, reaching up to grab the bandage on his neck almost instinctively. Wonho wished he would start to trust him soon.

Wonho brought him to the small room with the frogged ceiling that Minhyuk used to sleep in. Minhyuk had been staying in Jooheon’s room ever since he left, which made Wonho sad, but he couldn’t do anything to help at the moment. He started putting new sheets on the bed and messing with the blinds, distracting himself from the odd tension that was in the room. God damn Hyungwon trying to make everything difficult for him. Changkyun stayed quiet the whole time, helping him with the blankets at one point.

“Tomorrow I will go to your apartment to get some of the stuff you need. For tonight do you wanna borrow some old clothes to sleep in?” Wonho asked, watching as Changkyun awkwardly stood in the middle of the room staring at his feet.

“Uh… sure, if that’s not a problem. These are kinda… bloodstained.” He forced a laugh, but Wonho could tell he was still afraid. He nodded, walking back to his room to grab some sweatpants and an oversized pink hoodie. When he returned Changkyun laughed at him, and the sound made him a little more confident that Changkyun would come to trust him again.

“Pink?” Changkyun asked, taking the clothes graciously from him anyway. Wonho shrugged, walking closer to the door.

“I like it, it’s comfortable. Like wearing a blanket. I’ll… I’ll let you get some rest now. It’s almost two in the morning, might as well try to get your sleeping schedule back to normal. If you need anything at all, I’m only a room over. Don’t let Minhyuk or Hyungwon scare you, they may seem intimidating but they are harmless. Please just promise me you’ll give me a chance to help you and not try to run away, because we know Jooheon and we know how to help you the best.” Wonho said, watching Changkyun with sad eyes when he thought of what would happen if the boy did leave. Wonho just wouldn’t sleep tonight, he didn’t have to anyway. He usually just did for the thought of feeling human again.

“Promise. Goodnight Wonho.” Changkyun said, holding the clothes close to his chest and smiling. Wonho awkwardly smiled back as he left the room, gently closing the door behind him. The second he was out of Changkyun’s eyesight he felt like a boulder was lifted off of his chest and he could breathe again. Hyungwon was sat on the couch, raising an eyebrow at him with a smirk.

_You never used to seem that caught up in me. I’m offended._

Wonho wished he would stay out of his head.

“That’s because you’re too high maintenance. I love you though.” He said, watching as Hyungwon smiled for real. He ruffled his hair as he walked by, gaining an annoyed groan from Hyungwon.

 

He didn’t go back to his room, he went to Min and Jooheon’s. Just as he expected he found Min curled up under the blankets, clutching a pillow to his chest. He wasn’t crying this time, but he looked damn near close to it. Wonho didn’t say anything, he just got into the bed beside him and opened up his arms. Min sniffled, moving his position slightly to lay against Wonho, finally crying now that he was there. Wonho tightened his arm around him, using his free hand to slowly massage his hand through his hair comfortingly.

“It’ll be okay, Min. We can fix this.” He soothed, which just made Minhyuk cry harder.

“Stop saying that. He’s been off the deep end ever since Shownu hyung left. He’s always cared about Shownu the most.” Minhyuk said, some of his words almost inaudible. Wonho held on tighter, resting his chin on top of Minhyuk’s head. Shownu was the vampire who turned Jooheon. Vampires tend to have a close connection to the one who turns them. Minhyuk being in a relationship before Jooheon turned him just made his feelings even more intense. Sometimes Jooheon couldn’t quite match up to them. Hyungwon was the one who turned Wonho, but their connection had always been sexual. Probably because of how Wonho met him at a club and Hyungwon ended up turning him halfway through a one night stand gone horribly wrong. Shownu was also the one to turn Kihyun, which is why their boss has been extra bitchy lately. Wonho couldn’t imagine how it would feel to be in Minhyuk’s position, because it intensified the last emotion. When he was first turned he remembered never being able to separate himself from Hyungwon as hard as he tried. He was like a dog in heat, it was quite embarrassing. But Minhyuk’s last emotion was love, and it continued to be after he was turned, so it just kept growing.

_I’ll go look for Jooheon tonight. You watch out for Min and your new guest._

Hyungwon’s voice appeared in his head, and he wondered if he had been listening to what he was thinking the whole time.

_I was. Apart from all that sad shit, you’re right about yourself. You were a damn energizer bunny, you wouldn’t give me a break._

Wonho’s cheeks turned bright red as he thought up an apology in his head for Hyungwon. Minhyuk fidgeted a bit in his arms, so Wonho pulled the blanket up around Minhyuk’s shoulders as they laid there in shared silence.

“Wonho?” Min asked, breaking the silence as he reached out and grabbed his hand.

“Yeah?”

“Can you sing? Please.” He asked, voice barely louder than a whisper. Wonho smiled, leaning down to kiss the top of his head.

“Of course.” He tried to think of that song Changkyun had showed him once, the calming one that he said was great for bad days. Wonho remembered the day he told him, he was having an off day at work because Kihyun had just told him he had to pick up after Jooheon. He knew what had been happening to Changkyun, because the kid always showed up into work with new bandages or black eyes. Changkyun could tell Wonho was upset, and even though he was hurt, he still asked if he could help in anyway. He went home that night and looked up the song Changkyun told him about. It was so calming he actually fell asleep.

“ _Good job, on another day_ ,” He began to sing, still running his fingers through Min’s hair.

“- _even if no one takes interest in your sadness,_ ”

“ _I’m still cheering for you. Good job, on another day_.”

Minhyuk relaxed in his arms, his breathing beginning to even out as the crying dulled down.

“ _There is light. For sure there is_.”

“ _I believed it…_ ” He didn’t sing the last few lyrics, because they would just upset Minhyuk. Instead he started over, singing the comforting chorus over and over again until he was sure Minhyuk was asleep. He didn’t plan on getting any sleep tonight, so he stayed there, Minhyuk in his arms and his eyes on Changkyun’s door to make sure he didn’t put himself in danger.

He wished things were better, but the last few lyrics kept running through his head.

_I believed it, but it’s getting grayer and grayer for me._

 


	3. A Godzilla Mug

   Changkyun woke up to the sound of glass breaking followed by hushed whispers. He sat up in bed, fists in front of him ready to fight. He still wasn’t used to the location, he had started to think maybe this whole thing was just a nightmare. But there he was, in Wonho’s apartment, wearing Wonho’s hoodie. The pink thing was so big on him, the hood flipping up and covering his eyes when he jumped up. He sighed to himself when he recognized Wonho’s voice. It didn’t sound like anything bad, it just sounded like he was trying to keep someone else quiet as they argued about something. 

Changkyun yawned, stretching his arms above his head, the sleeves pulled over his hands and balled into a fist. It was freezing in there, apparently vampires didn’t think to turn the heat on in the winter. Everything was still sore, and now because of the cold his nose was a little stuffy. He lazily drug himself out of bed and walked to the bathroom, glad that there was one inside the room so Wonho wouldn’t see him like this. He started his morning routine as if nothing was different, stopping to look in the mirror to see how bad he looked. The cut on his lip had a purplish bruise around it, and the spot where Jooheon punched him was dark blue and turning greenish. He didn’t look nearly as bad as he felt, but when he pulled off his hoodie he noticed just how many bruises there were. There was a bite on his collarbone, it wasn’t too deep but it was still bruised. The bruises on his hips were worse than they’ve ever been, he looked like he had been thrown out of a car. 

He took a warm shower, trying to keep his head on straight before he started freaking out. This was okay, Wonho was going to tell him everything today. Part of him didn’t want to know, because part of him wished this was all a nightmare and the boy he liked wasn’t actually a vampire. That would make everything so much easier, he could have been in the shower with him if that were the case. 

_No he couldn’t. The kid is real clumsy. Him and shower sex don’t mix well._

Changkyun almost fell when the voice came to his head, slipping on some soap and quickly grabbing onto the bar before he busted his ass. So Hyungwon can’t just read minds, he can-

_Annoy the fuck out of people. Yep. It’s a gift._

Changkyun tried to keep his mind as clean of Wonho as possible, his cheeks growing red with embarrassment for the images in his head that Hyungwon has probably seen. Honestly he shouldn’t be, because the guy has already seen Wonho… like _that_. 

Changkyun finished washing up and turned the shower off. He dried off and put Wonho’s clothes back on, which made him look even more like a child. Without the sound of the shower running, he could hear the sharp whispers and plates clanking again that had woken him up. He went back to the bed, sitting down carefully in a spot just right that didn’t hurt. He was reaching for the blanket to wrap around himself when he heard yelling come from the kitchen. He couldn’t make out what they were saying, because of the sound of glass breaking, but it didn’t sound good. 

_Maybe you shouldn’t come out here…_

Hyungwon’s voice sounded hesitant, but Changkyun was curious. He finished wrapping the blanket around his shoulders and carefully got up from the bed. A few steps forward and he could hear Hyungwon complaining in his mind again. It was really started to irritate him. He wasn’t completely breakable, he was strong enough to withstand Jooheon for almost a year, he could handle whatever was outside that door.

When he reached for the knob the door was opening already from the other side. He jumped back a step when he came face to face with Wonho, his eyes wild and hair going in many different directions. There was yelling behind him, but Wonho was just tall enough to block Changkyun’s view from the angle he was at.

“Morning sunshine, can you please listen to Hyungwon… for me?” He asked, beginning to pout as if that would change Changkyun’s decision. 

“If it is anything bad, it will find me anyway. I don’t have very much luck, so I think it would be better for me if I just stuck by you and… Well I don’t even know if I can trust you… I just want some water.” Changkyun’s voice got lower and lower the more he went on, he didn’t know what argument he was trying to make, or if there even was one. “I was as good as dead earlier, do you really think I care much for life right now?” He asked, Wonho frowning as he reached out hesitantly for Changkyun’s hand, but decided against it. 

“Hoseok, I don’t know why you’re trying to hide it, I’m not going to hurt the thing. I don’t like eating from the garbage.” His boss’s voice sounded over Wonho’s shoulder, and Changkyun slowly started to piece together what was going on. Wonho stepped aside to let him out and he walked a few steps into the living room with the blanket still around his shoulders. He probably looked pathetic. Nothing new, he was just food to them anyway. Kihyun was leaning against the back of the couch, arms crossed over his chest, staring at them with an eyebrow raised. He was still wearing his work uniform and the glasses that made him seem much older than he was. 

“Good morning, Kihyun hyung, sorry I haven’t been to work lately. I kind of almost died-“

“Enough. You should have died. Now you’re just a problem.” He said, no emotion found in his voice. Wonho stood behind Changkyun, his arm reaching around his waist in a protective way. Changkyun wanted to push it away, but part of him liked Wonho close. 

_So you like the dominant type… I’ll let Wonho know._

Hyungwon raised his eyebrows at him from the kitchen table, and Changkyun began to reach out a hand to flip him off. Halfway into doing so Wonho caught his hand and pushed it back down against his side, the grip around his wrist was so tight it almost hurt, Changkyun flinching at the sudden change in behavior. He moved closer, his breath hot against Changkyun’s ear, and suddenly memories of Jooheon flooded his mind.

“Don’t do anything rash.” Wonho whispered, Changkyun squinted his eyes closed at the closeness to his neck, awaiting the pain that usually followed. “And we’ll talk about what Hyungwon told me later.” His cheeks flushed bright red and Kihyun gave them both a questioning look. Wonho decided it was time for an explanation. Changkyun finally relaxed some when he realized Wonho wasn’t actually going to bite him.

“He won’t be a problem, I assure you. That’s why he is here. You know I’ve had my eye on this treat for months now, and Jooheon is the one that decided to throw him out. Can’t you just let me have the sloppy seconds, I’ve been on clean-up duty so long for this fucker. I promise I’ll dispose of him when I’m through. Jooheon will never know, he’ll be preoccupied with finding Shownu anyway-“

“Don’t. Mention. Him.” Every syllable sounded almost strained, and Kihyun’s eyes grew dark. Wonho definitely struck a nerve. 

“Alright, alright, what do I say then? Daddy will be home soon, is that what you want? Get a grip already, it’s been over a year, he probably found a new bitch.” Wonho’s words kept getting harsher, and Kihyun grew more and more red by the second. He tightened his hold on Changkyun, his other hand lifting from his waist to find his neck. He held it gently, chest pressed up against Changkyun’s back as he tilted his head. 

_It’s an act, Wonho wants you to know, it’s all an act. When he lets you go, come to me._

Changkyun swallowed hard, feeling helpless against Wonho like he had with Jooheon. Even knowing it was fake, he could feel himself start to shake from reflex. Wonho noticed too, because his grip on him softened. The mouth that was close to his neck didn’t bite down, instead leaving a quick kiss above his puncture scars. Changkyun didn’t know what to think anymore, his mind went blank.

“Just because you don’t have your plaything around, doesn’t mean you need to barge into my house and try to take mine away-“

“It’s not about that and you know it. When Jooheon finds out… I’m not dealing with it.” Kihyun walked forward towards them, brown eyes almost black, his bright pink hair contrasting greatly with the look on his face. Changkyun couldn’t say he’d ever been afraid of his boss before, but now he didn’t know how to feel. “Use up the blood bag, then throw it out. Simple.” He said through clenched teeth. Hyungwon was standing up now and walking towards them, which made Changkyun feel a little better about the situation, as annoying as he was.

_I’ll take the compliment._

“Sure thing boss, let me have a little fun first. This one is kind of handsome, and my life has been pretty dry lately.” Wonho’s voice dropped lower, turning into what almost sounded like a growl, and Changkyun couldn’t tell if he should be terrified or turned on. Hyungwon snuck a smirk at him over Kihyun’s shoulder and he felt his cheeks turning red again.

“Whatever. He won’t last long anyway, kid is pale as a ghost. I don’t care about the boy. I don’t care if he’s dead, or alive, and I’m not telling Jooheon shit. I just don’t want to be on Jooheon’s bad side when he finds out you all have kept his toy away from him instead of in the dirt where he should be. If you’re going to let him live, you’re not going to keep him here. Don’t put Hyungwon and Min in danger of that… That’s the last thing Min needs right now, and you know that better than any of us.” Kihyun said, looking over his shoulder at Hyungwon as well before turning around and walking towards the front door. He stopped short right before leaving, back still turned to all of them. Wonho let go of Changkyun and pushed him towards Hyungwon just incase something went down. 

“There is so much wasted potential in you, Hoseok.” Kihyun muttered, not even bothering to turn around before he left the apartment. Changkyun felt like he could breathe again the second he was gone, Hyungwon wrapping the blanket back around his shoulders from where it had dipped earlier. 

“You dumb sonofabitch, I told you to stay in the fucking room.” He groaned, flicking Changkyun on the forehead. 

“Hey! I’m not actually a kid, so I would appreciate if you stopped treating me like one-!”

“I’m 700 years old you scrawny bastard-“

“Hey-“

“Well I’m almost 22, so you can suck it-“

“Hey _guys_ -“

“I wouldn’t go near your dick if my eternal damnation depended on it-“

“GUYS!” Changyun and Hyungwon both turned towards Wonho at the same time. “What the fuck is wrong with you? We have bigger problems.” He said, shaking his head as he walked over to the couch. 

“My biggest problem currently is that this old guy won’t stay out of my head.” Changkyun said, walking towards the kitchen to search for water. All he wanted was a glass of water, not this. 

“Well he does that to everyone, and you won’t have to deal with it much longer-“

“In my defense this kid’s hormones are raging up the wall and its projecting thoughts about fucking you that I don’t want to hear. _That_ is annoying.” Hyungwon said, walking towards his own room. Changkyun flipped him off as he went, trying to gain some confidence back from where it left him earlier. 

“That’s not true!” He yelled, the door slamming behind Hyungwon. He sighed when he couldn’t even find a glass in the cabinets, turning around and staring at Wonho.

“You guys don’t even have cups? I just want some water.” He groaned, Wonho still looking down at the floor. 

“Wrong cabinet. Go two over, there is a Godzilla mug in the back. Don’t ask why. Water in the tap.” Wonho said, not even looking up. Changkyun shook his head, moving over to find the mug and filling it as fast as possible so he could finally gulp down some water. He leaned back against the counter and tried to contemplate how his life had ended up here. He was in a vampire’s apartment, wearing his vampire crush’s hoodie, drinking out of a Godzilla mug-

_-and you have a vampire constantly in your mind. Your life sucks_

“You know what?! That’s not an insult, it’s just the truth!” He shouted at the closed door of Hyungwon’s room, hearing laughter from the other side. Wonho finally looked up again, quirking an eyebrow at him as he walked over to sit down next to him, dropping the blanket to the side. Maybe he did die, maybe this was his personal hell.

“You think about… fucking me?” Wonho asked after a few seconds, and Changkyun groaned so loud he was sure the neighbors could hear him. He didn’t even know how to respond, nothing was clear to him right now and he was still slightly turned on by Wonho’s bullshit earlier. 

“Can I just, for one moment, _enjoy_ my water?” He asked, downing the rest of it in one go so he could get up again and put it in the sink. He looked back at Wonho from the kitchen, the guy still looking at him waiting for an answer.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” He said, nodding before he went back into the guest room, wishing he’d never walked out of it this morning.

There was a knock on the door, not even seconds passed before it opened. Changkyun turned around to find Wonho, putting his hand up in protest. 

“I just want to be left alone right now, everything is too much, I can’t…” He gave up at trying to find the words, looking down at his feet as Wonho walked into the room and shut the door behind him.

“You want to fuck me.”

“That’s not what I said-“

“But it’s what you thought.” Wonho’s voice sounded different, and Changkyun found himself nervously looking up at him again. His eyes had turned red, a sight he was used to with Jooheon. He reached for Changkyun’s waist and pulled him against him, their foreheads pressed together, nails digging into his sides under the fabric of his hoodie. Changkyun’s breath caught in his throat. “Are you scared of me?” Wonho asked, head tilting as he found his way to Changkyun’s neck, leaving soft kisses there like he had earlier.

“No, it hurts.” Changkyun muttered, Wonho’s hands quickly let go of his sides and wrapped around his back. 

“Better?” He asked, stroking his back with one hand as his lips traveled up to kiss Changkyun’s cheek. Changkyun closed his eyes, conflicted with the want to push Wonho away or let him continue. 

“Yes…” Wonho left kisses on his nose, his temple, his eyelids, “but-“ He was cut off by Wonho’s lips on his, the kiss slow and simple, the cut on it stinging the slightest bit. Wonho seemed to be considerate of it as he kissed him, and something about that made Changkyun start to believe he could try to trust him. He stopped thinking as Wonho’s hands traveled down his sides again and under his thighs, lifting him up in one swift movement as he walked towards the bed, tongue licking at Changkyun’s bottom lip to deepen the kiss. He wrapped his arms around Wonho’s neck to keep his balance, one hand sliding down and digging into the fabric of his shirt. Before he knew it his back was on the bed, and Wonho was pressed against him, thigh resting between his. Changkyun squirmed with the new weight on top of him, hands running over the muscles of Wonho’s upper back, and suddenly feeling small. This guy could kill him in a second if he wanted to. 

Wonho moved to kiss the side of his mouth to let him breathe, taking the time to pull his shirt off and toss it on the floor before Changkyun even realized it. He was straddling Changkyun’s lap now to take the weight off, sitting up and bringing him up with him, arms pulling him close to his bare chest as he kissed the underside of his jaw. Wonho’s busy hands went for the hem of his hoodie and Changkyun froze, images of Jooheon biting down on his collarbone filling his head as Wonho pulled it off of him. When Wonho’s hands started traveling down, lips on his again, Changkyun felt himself shaking. He wasn’t in control of it, whenever his eyes closed he felt terrified, picturing Jooheon as Wonho grabbed the top of his sweatpants and started pulling them down. That’s when he noticed Changkyun shaking and immediately pulled back. When Changkyun opened his eyes again he found Wonho staring at him concerned, the red in his eyes slowly fading back to their normal brown color. 

“What’s wrong?” He asked, out of breath as he reached out to hold onto Changkyun’s shoulders in an attempt to steady him, moving off of his lap.

“I… I like you, Hoseok. I just-“

“Too much?” Wonho asked, Changkyun pulling his knees to his chest to allow Wonho to sit crosslegged in front of him. “What’s the matter? You’re shaking? Are you hurt, show me where you’re hurt. Do you need something-“

“I’m fine. I’m fine.” Changkyun said, stopping Wonho’s rambling before he exploded. Wonho frowned, eyes tracing over Changkyun’s bare chest in front of him. He grabbed ahold of Changkyun’s legs, pulling them away from his chest and scooting froward to look more closely at Changkyun’s wounds. His legs laid awkwardly around Wonho’s waist as the he reached out to hover his hand above the really bad bite on his collarbone. The bruising made it look worse than it was, but Wonho seemed to be getting angrier by the second. 

“Does it hurt?” He asked, pulling his hand back when Changkyun winced. “I’m sorry if I hurt you earlier, I didn’t know.” Changkyun felt terrible, but he suddenly couldn't get Jooheon out of his head. 

“You didn’t hurt me. These things just look bad, it doesn’t hurt too much anymore. I just haven't had… a healthy relationship, in any sense of the word.” Changkyun said, Wonho not knowing what to do with his hands. Changkyun smirked, reaching out to grab his hands and bring them to his waist. He placed them over the bruises Jooheon left and Wonho stared at him with wide eyes. 

“Sometimes when you touch here, I see him in my head. It kind of sucks, but I’m guessing it will start to fade when I… Never mind.” He left Wonho’s hands to poke his abs. “Also, you’re pretty ripped and I’m slightly afraid you'll crush me alongside everything else, like the blood diet for one.”

“I understand. I know it doesn’t mean much right now, but I promise you, I won’t hurt you. And I won’t let anyone else hurt you.” He said, his face becoming serious. Changkyun shook his head, moving away from Wonho and picking up his hoodie to put it back on and cover up all of his bruises so Wonho would stop staring. 

“I don’t want to be the cause of your fights though.” He said, sitting back and frowning. “As long as I’m around-“

“Hey, I could have helped you months ago, and I’m still beating myself up for that. I’m done succumbing to them, and I’m going to make it up to you by protecting you now.” Wonho said, reaching out to hover his hand above the bandage on Changkyun’s neck, not touching it. “I’m not letting this happen again, I swear-“

“Okay… Then how about a date first? You basically kidnap me and then expect sex the next day? Do you really think I’m that easy?” He asked, a hint of sarcasm in his voice to break some of the tension in the room. Wonho frowned at his attempt to change the subject, reaching up to cup his face with his hands.

“Only if we get ramen. Deal?” He asked, Changkyun finally smiling as Wonho leaned forward slowly to kiss his nose. 

“Deal.” Changkyun answered, pushing against Wonho’s chest. “And what did I say about trust yesterday? As much as I may enjoy… some of the ways you’ve been touching me-“ his cheeks turned bright red when Wonho winked at him “-let’s keep at least a small distance until at least the third date. Got to take it slow when the boy you like is a vampire.” Changkyun said, Wonho nodding at him. 

“Okay… but-“ He moved forward again and caught Changkyun’s lip in his, pulling him into his lap and deepening the kiss in the softest way possible. His hands carefully wrapped around Changkyun’s shoulders, bringing him closer until he was straddling Wonho. He could feel Wonho smiling into the kiss and it made him feel a lot safer. There was something about him, he could feel safe and dangerous at the same time. When Wonho pulled back he was smiling.

“I-“ He leaned forward to kiss his cheek, “promise-“ kiss his nose, “I’m not-“ kiss his temple, “scary.” He pecked Changkyun on the lips, which made him laugh. 

“You’re cute, but I’m sticking to my word. Third date.” Changkyun said, Wonho quirking an eyebrow as he got up off the bed and searched for his shirt. His pants were hanging low on his hips and Changkyun had to look away.

“I’m done, you’re just going to have to wait for three dates to do anything else. I know now from Hyungwon that you like the dominant type… I can do that.” He said slyly, walking towards the door and flexing as he pulled the shirt of his head. Changkyun slid off the bed and glared at him. 

“You bastard.” 

“Hey, you can change your rules now if you want… If there is something you _really_ want-“

“Nope. Three dates.” Changkyun said, following him out the door. He pushed Wonho against the doorframe and leaned in really close to his neck, teasing him with his breath without kissing him. “Guess you’re just going to have to wait.” He said lowly, pulling back to see Wonho’s pained expression. 

“You guys are disgusting. Please, for the love of God, just fuck it out. I can’t deal with this.” Hyungwon whined, walking out of his room with headphones on. “I hate hearing people’s thoughts, but now I have to _see_ it.” He walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bag from the fridge. Changkyun eyed it curiously, walking away from Wonho before he could try anything else, and joining Hyungwon in the kitchen. 

“Is that a blood bag?” He asked, watching as Hyungwon brought the thing up to his mouth and ripped the top off with his teeth. His eyes turned red the second he could smell the blood, and Changkyun found himself backing up a bit from instinct. 

“Yeah, dumbass, I’m a vampire. I don’t eat celery to live, and unless you want me to dig into that pretty neck of yours leave me to my days old takeout.” He said with a smirk, taking a few sips as if he was trying to savior it. Changkyun just shook his head, pushing past him to look in the fridge. It was just a few shelves full of blood bags, one thing of orange juice, and milk that seemed to be expired. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me…” He muttered, he needed to distract himself with food. He could feel Wonho’s eyes on the back of his head, and it took about everything in him not to give up on his personal morals and let that dude tear him apart… He needed to push down his urges with food, but he was staying with vampires who didn't even own cups besides a Godzilla mug. He grabbed the spoiler milk from the fridge and tossed it into the trashcan that was sitting next to the card table they claimed to be a kitchen table. It looked like it belonged at a cook out from the early 2000s. 

“No food? Not even ramen in here?” He asked, Hyungwon shrugging in response. “You know, as a human, I kind of need sustenance.” Changkyun said, Wonho walking over and jumping up to sit on the countertop beside the fridge.

“Yeah… I figured as much-“

“Hello! I am home, I know you’ve missed me terribly, and I have the pet’s food!” Both of them turned their heads towards the door to see Minhyuk smiling brightly with grocery bags in his hands. 

“Did you just call me a pet-?”

“Thank God, Min.” Wonho said, sliding off the counter and walking over to help him with the bags. Changkyun just rolled his eyes and followed to help. This was going to be a long week, he just knew it. 

 

Later that night he was going through stuff in the guest room. Hyungwon had stopped by his apartment and brought some things he said he needed. He had nothing better to do while hiding in a vampire’s loft from two, possibly three, vampires that wanted him dead. Didn’t help that Wonho kept giving him glances that made him feel even more antsy about the three dates decision. It was for the best though, he needed to be able to trust him. Trust was important to him these days. 

He finished putting some of his clothes into the dresser, pulling on his own hoodie over his head, and searched his pocket for his phone. No messages, no one cared that he had been M.I.A for so long. He couldn’t say he was surprised, his family hasn’t spoken to him in years, and he cut ties with most of his friends when the thing with Jooheon started. He didn’t want to put anyone in danger.

“Anyone worried?” Wonho asked, knocking on the open door of the room after he had already spoken. Changkyun shrugged his shoulders, trying to appear more nonchalant than he felt. 

“Um… nah. Didn’t really have many- Doesn’t matter, you said you would answer all my questions today.” He said, sitting crosslegged on the bed, his hood up to hide his messy towel-dried hair from the shower he had just taken. Wonho nodded, sitting on the edge of the bed with a huff. 

“Go for it, shoot.” He said, smiling kindly at him. 

“Okay. Why don’t you burn in the sunlight?”

“We’re not pansies. Next-“

“Why doesn’t a wooden stake kill you?”

“Most of the myths are wrong, I’ll tell you that now. The only thing that kills us… well I don’t think I should tell you that until after the third date.” Wonho said with a smirk, Changkyun rolling his eyes. 

“That’s fair. Is Hyungwon good in bed?”

“Jealous?” Wonho asked with a smile, laughing when Changkyun started to turn red.

“No… Just-“

“That’s between me and him, and it is in the past. Next.” Wonho said, quirking an eyebrow at him. Changkyun breathed in, time for serious questions. He couldn’t avoid them. 

“Why did you work for Jooheon? Why were you his…?”

“Clean up crew? I owed him a favor, he’s like a brother to me. Min, Hyungwon, Kihyun and me… we’ve turned away from that life. We mostly drink from blood bags, we’re friends with some vamps who work in the hospital. Jooheon had switched with us, but Shownu leaving fucked him up I guess. He, well he used you as a way to cope. I was upset he was hurting a human, but it was worse when I started to fall for you. I don’t know why he decided to pick someone who worked with us, it was sloppy of him. We can’t control Jooheon right now, not while Shownu is gone, and Kihyun hasn't been much help either. So instead we’ve been cleaning up Jooheon's tracks so we won’t be found out.” He said, eyes leaving Changkyun’s face and looking down at his hands. Changkyun crossed his arms, feeling cold all of a sudden, not knowing what to say. 

“So… you tried to stop him?” He asked, hoping for at least something that would make him feel better about the situation. Wonho breathed deeply, looking up at him with sad eyes.

“Yes, later on I did. It didn’t end well. He's been a vamp longer than the three of us, so he's stronger, and Kihyun wanted no part in helping. Plus with Min in the mix, it’s been hard. Jooheon and Min are kind of a… thing.” He said, flashes of Jooheon making out with Changkyun suddenly filling his mind. He winced, and Wonho reached out automatically to grab his hand. “What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing. I just feel a little guilty. Jooheon didn’t just feed from me, you know that right?” He asked, looking back up at Wonho with his eyebrow raised, trying to read his facial expression. 

“I had a feeling. I just didn’t know how far he took it.” Wonho said softly, his hand tightening around his wrist. “When you came into work with cuts on your lip, or bruises on your neck… God it was the worst feeling.” He said, Changkyun tilting his head in question. 

“Jealous?” He asked, the conversation coming full circle. Wonho laughed, shaking his head as he pulled his hand away. 

“You could say that. So maybe now you could see why Min and Jooheon being a thing presents a problem here.” He said, lowering his voice incase Minhyuk was in the living room. Changkyun nodded his head, he felt pretty terrible all of a sudden. Not only was he being used in more ways than one, he was also the cause of someone else’s pain. 

“Were you the one that brought me back to my room that night? Patched me up too?” He asked, Wonho’s cheeks turning bright red as he looked away from Changkyun again and back down at his hands. 

“Yeah, you were in pretty bad shape, I couldn’t just leave you there. I’ve done it a few other times too, you just never noticed. You were knocked out pretty good.” He explained, sounding more upset the longer his sentence went on. Changkyun didn’t know whether to feel flattered or creeped out about this, but he had more questions to ask, and didn't have the time to contemplate feelings. 

“How many did you kill?” He asked hesitantly, pulling his knees to his chest and resting his chin on them. Wonho looked taken aback at the question, staring at him with wide eyes. It couldn’t have been such a weird question, he was a vampire after all, that’s what they did. 

“No one. I haven’t killed anyone. You think I would… you thought I had-“

“I’m sorry, I just thought-“

“I mean I’ve been around a long time, so that is a reasonable question. I didn’t always drink from blood bags, when I was first turned I mostly drank from animals because the thought of hurting people sickened me. But I started to get sick from that so Hyungwon had me drink from him. It’s definitely not the same, but it kept me alive until I finally gave into my urges and tracked down a… I may have hurt a few people, but I never killed. I was in a few relationships along the way, humans that loved me and willingly gave their blood… but that was, actually that’s not a good thing to talk about right now. Next question.” Wonho said suddenly, turning red again and faking a laugh. Changkyun scooted forward until his knees touched Wonho’s side, and he stared at him until he turned his eyes back to him. 

“How old are you?” He asked, squinting his eyes and reaching out with his finger to poke Wonho’s cheek. 

“I don’t think that really matters-“

“How old?” 

“560 give or take a few decades…” Wonho said, biting his lip almost guiltily. Changkyun widened his eyes and poked his cheek again. 

“But you’re… so…”

“Beautiful? Handsome-?”

“Childish.” He said, Wonho pouting at him in response, which just strengthened his argument.

“You’re the child here, I was around when Leonardo Da Vinci was a big deal.” He said, folding his arms across his chest. Changkyun laughed at him, wondering how a centuries old vampire could look so cute. 

“Okay… I think I’m questioned-out for the time being.” He said, stretching as the tiredness started to hit him again. Wonho smirked, leaning closer to him. 

“Do I get anything in return?” He asked, slowly inching closer until Changkyun reached out to put his hand over his mouth before he could try anything. 

“Yeah, three dates. I’m going to get to bed because I’m still feeling pretty weak. Thank you though, for the talk.” He said with a smile, removing his hand from over Wonho’s mouth. 

“Thanks for trusting me thus far. Goodnight Changkyun, you’re going to drive me crazy, I swear it.” He said, rushing forward to kiss his forehead before Changkyun could stop him. He jumped off the bed and left the room, leaving Changkyun alone with his thoughts. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	4. A Living Poem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is an actual rollercoaster of emotions...

   Wonho eyed Changkyun from across the table as he lifted the noodles to his mouth. He didn’t need food, it didn’t do anything for him. But after that one century he had gone to a university for the fun of it and all of his roommates got him hooked on this, there was no turning back. The kid sitting across from him was about university age, maybe a little older, but it sure did make Wonho feel ancient. He didn’t know what was so different about this one that made him feel like this. He had kept people around before, it gets kind of lonely with just having Hyungwon for company. Before everything went down Min was always busy with Jooheon, and Shownu with Kihyun. Hyungwon and Wonho started becoming a little distant from each other for a few decades after all the… Well Hyungwon found someone else and things went from there. Now he was just annoying as fuck and Minhyuk was always sad and Jooheon was rouge and Kihyun was, well how he always was, a prick. 

“You’re thinking about something.” Changkyun’s voice cut into his stream of thoughts. Wonho blinked at him, nervously laughing when he saw the guy smile. He shouldn’t be this anxious about liking somebody, it was never hard for him to choose his pick in the past. There was just something different, maybe it was because of the clean-up job, or maybe it was because the close proximity of being coworkers.

“Yep.” Wonho answered, smiling as Changkyun rolled his eyes. 

“Okay… What are you thinking about? Usually when you’re on a date with someone, you talk to them. I don’t know if it’s different for your… species-“

“Don’t act like I’m an alien or some shit, I’m pretty much the closest you can get to human.” He muttered, shifting his eyes around the small ramen shop. His buddy Byung Joo was the owner, and a vamp, so he didn’t worry much about it. 

“Uh huh. Then speak your mind.” Changkyun said with a smile, already finished with his ramen. 

“I was just thinking about you.” Wonho took the easy way out, winking at him so Changkyun wouldn’t question it. Of course, the guy did anyway.

“About how much of an ass I am, because it is the second date already and you’re impatient?” He asked, taking a sip of his drink while Wonho glared at him. To be fair he was getting a little antsy.

“Sure, let’s go with that. Hey there is a bathroom back there, we could just-“

“No way.”

“It was worth a try.” He joked, finishing off his bowl of ramen. He could feel Changkyun’s eyes still on him, and he knew he wouldn’t be getting out of here without an answer.

“Would you like me to take that for you?” Thank god for their waiter. Wonho looked up at the small boy standing by the table, check ready in his hand. 

“Yes, thanks Minsung.” He said, taking the check from him so Minsung could take their empty dishes away. “Tell Byung Joo we need to get together some time, it’s been awhile.” He continued, Minsung smiling with a small bow. 

“He’d be happy to hear that.” He turned towards Changkyun, shy smile turning into a cheeky grin. “Be careful with this one.” Changkyun raised his eyebrow at Wonho while Minsung walked away, but Wonho ignored it by getting cash out of his wallet. 

 

As they were leaving Wonho wanted to reach out to hold Changkyun’s hand, but he chickened out. It had been so easy earlier, why was he freaking now? This guy was literally hundreds of years younger than him, he was the one with more experience, it should be easy. He whistled, swinging his hands awkwardly so Changkyun wouldn’t notice what he was trying to do. Suddenly he felt a hand grab his, locking their fingers together. He stopped walking, in the middle of the sidewalk, and stared at Changkyun. The boy looked smug. 

“What’s wrong? Nervous?” He asked with a smile, leaning in as if he was about to kiss him. Wonho was seconds away from closing his eyes when Changkyun leaned away and kept walking, pulling him along by their connected hands. “One more date.” He said, Wonho groaning as he was dragged along. 

They got back to the apartment to find Hyungwon and Minhyuk sprawled out on the couch with a pizza box and blood bags. Changkyun let go of Wonho’s hand when Hyungwon looked over, the kid looking at the television to see what was playing. 

“Are you guys… watching The Notebook? And eating pizza?” He asked slowly, walking further into the house to sit on the armchair next to the couch. Minhyuk just groaned in response, stuffing another piece of pizza into his mouth. “Aren’t vampires supposed to not like food?” Wonho laughed at the expression on Changkyun’s face before walking over to wedge himself between Minhyuk and Hyungwon.

“We can, we just don’t have to. The taste buds aren’t the same, seeing as how we’re dead an all, but some things become a force of habit.” Wonho explained, elbowing Hyungwon in the side. 

_Is Minhyuk alright?_

_Jooheon is back in town. He just ran into him today, Jooheon seemed like he was going to patch things up but… it didn’t end well._

Wonho frowned, reaching out a hand to move the hair out of Minhyuk’s eyes. He needed to leave soon, he just didn’t want to leave Minhyuk and Hyungwon here. He needed to get Changkyun somewhere else before Jooheon shows up, but Changkyun has been so insistent on this three dates thing before he was going anywhere with Wonho, in more ways than one. He didn’t want to worry him but telling him Jooheon was back, but that might be the only way to get him to come with him. 

“So… what’s happening? The Notebook isn’t a very happy movie.” Changkyun asked to fill the silence. Wonho saw Hyungwon roll his eyes and shake his head at the kid, probably telling him something about Minhyuk. 

“That’s just a habit too, just like this dumbass cardboard food.” Minhyuk said, finishing off his pizza and leaning against Wonho. “Can I sleep with you?” He said, starting to slur his words. Wonho raised his eyebrow at Hyungwon. 

“I may have put some liquor in his blood bag. It’s fine though, it’s actually making him drunk. This is a revelation, we finally found a loophole to get wasted. Only took a few centuries.” He said, shrugging his shoulders. Minhyuk laughed, sitting up to nibble on Wonho’s ear. 

“You’re so… soft. And pretty.” He said, Wonho just sat there and dealt with it. He looked over at Changkyun, who was trying to hide a smirk behind his sleeve-covered hands. 

“Oh yeah?” He asked with a smirk, loving any kind of compliments no matter where they came from. Min kissed his cheek, laughing against it afterwards. 

“Your cheeks are so squishy.” Minhyuk’s face slowly fell to nuzzle Wonho’s neck. 

“Thanks, but I think you should get some rest. No sad movies, no more alcoholic blood, and no more cardboard pizza. Come on.” Wonho stepped up from the couch just as Minhyuk was starting to kiss his neck. He lifted him up in his arms in one swift movement, Minhyuk giggling as he did so. 

“Ohhhh, are we getting married now?” He asked in the cutest voice he could muster. Hyungwon groaned in annoyance and switched off the tv. “You’re holding me like a bride.”

“No more romantic movies for you.” He said, standing up to walk over with Wonho and open the door to Minhyuk’s room. When he tried to lower him onto the bed Min held on tightly.

“No, I don’t want to be alone in here, I wanna sleep with you.” He whined, Hyungwon helping detach him from Wonho. When they finally got him situated, Changkyun now watching from the doorway, Hyungwon sat on the bed next to him. 

_I’ll take care of him, go have some fun with your date._

Wonho smiled at him, reaching down to ruffle Minhyuk’s hair. 

“You’ll feel better tomorrow, Min. I’m not leaving yet.” He said, Minhyuk squirming next to Hyungwon to put his head on his lap. Hyungwon rolled his eyes, but Wonho knew he was enjoying the attention. 

“Why are you so nice? You’re so nice, and so pretty. You even brought home a pet, and your pet is really cute too. He is also nice. Changkyun, you’re so nice, I’m sorry that my boyfriend hurt you… I’m sorry for being jealous of you. I hope I don't scare you.” Min seemed to be on the brink of tears, and Wonho was about to reach out to comfort him, but Changkyun was already there. He pushed past him and grabbed onto Min’s hand, much to Wonho’s surprise. 

“I’m going to look past the ‘pet’ part and say thank you. And I am really really sorry about Jooheon. I’m sure he will come back to you. Whenever he was with… well there were no feelings involved. He seemed like he was trying to push everything down and just become a monster. As much as he hurt me, knowing someone like you loved him, I’m sure you can pull him out of this. And I’m not scared of you, Minhyuk, only Wonho scares me.” Changkyun said softly, a smile slowly growing on Minhyuk’s face. 

“Thank you.” Min said, reaching up to boop his nose. Drunk Minhyuk was great, Changkyun laughed and leaned back into Wonho. 

“Okay, I got this mess, you two go have fun.” Hyungwon said, pushing at Changkyun’s side. 

“If by fun you mean watch tv or play some games because the third date still hasn’t come, then yes. We will.” Changkyun winked, turning to walk out of the room. Wonho stood there for a few seconds, hanging his head failure. 

“He’s afraid of me... He won’t even let me kiss him.” He whispered, looking up at Hyungwon with a pout. Hyungwon seemed to find the situation very humorous. 

“Wonho is finally having to wait, poor bunny.” He said sarcastically, laughing as Wonho walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. 

Changkyun was no where to be seen when he left the room. He assumed he would be waiting on the couch, but maybe he went to his own room. Wonho was about to go walk into it, but he didn’t know if Changkyun wanted to be bothered. If he wanted to do something, he would seek Wonho out. He sighed, walking over to his own room, and opening in the cracked door. Changkyun was sitting on his bed, legs crossed, looking through a stack of movies. 

_I helped convince him. Go for it._

Wonho suddenly got nervous at Hyungwon’s voice in his head, and Changkyun looked up to smile at him the second he heard the door close. 

“I was seeing if vamps had good movie taste. The Notebook being on gave me a bad feeling you didn’t.” He said with a laugh as Wonho sat down on the edge of the bed. This boy was beautiful. He was wearing a loose white turtle neck with a super baggy black hoodie over it, which covered his hands completely. His black hair seemed to have a hint of blue in it, and he had silver earrings shaped like crosses in his ears. Wonho couldn’t help staring at him, especially when he smiled. He had small dimples, and Wonho always had the urge to kiss them. He was falling so hard it was ridiculous, and Changkyun making him wait made it so much worse. He wanted to make sure he was okay with everything, he wanted to keep him safe. He understood exactly why Changkyun would be hesitant, if he was still human he would be too. 

“Are you ever going to tell me what you were really thinking earlier, before Minsung interrupted?” Changkyun said, casually flipping through the dvds. Might as well go for it. 

“That you’re beautiful.” Wonho said quietly. Changkyun suddenly stopped and looked up at him. 

“Bullshit-“

“And that I don’t understand how you have such an effect on me.” Wonho moved forward, his knees touching Changkyun’s. “That I don’t deserve anything from you, because I failed you.” He placed his hand on Changkyun’s thigh, the boy shivering at his touch. “But I can’t stand not being able to touch you, even though I had gone over a year of just having a friendly coworker relationship with you.” Wonho moved to straddle his lap, arms resting around Changkyun’ neck. “That I really, _really_ , want to kiss you.” He finished, waiting to find an answer on Changkyun’s face. He looked frozen, but not in a bad way. He didn’t seem scared, just surprised. 

“I’ve been lying to you.” Changkyun said with a smile, which threw Wonho off. Changkyun’s hand wrapped around his waist and pulled him closer to him, his face inches from Wonho’s. “I counted the first date you took me on, before everything. Tonight was the third date, hyung.” He hadn’t heard Changkyun call him hyung since work, and something about it made Wonho really happy. Before Wonho had time to say anything, Changkyun’s lips were on his, hands traveling up his back. Wonho froze for a second, like a dumbass, before he kissed him back. Changkyun deepened the kiss within seconds, arms moving around Wonho’s waist and resting low. His kisses were a little more harsh than before, someone was also a little antsy. Wonho pulled at the hem of his hoodie, pulling it over his head before bringing Changkyun closer against his chest to kiss him again. He didn’t want to leave his lips, but he also didn’t want to leave his shirt on. It was quite the predicament. That was when he noticed again that Changkyun was wearing a turtleneck. Wonho pulled back suddenly, Changkyun following after his lips impatiently. 

“You’re wearing a turtleneck.” He deadpanned, Changkyun staring down at him like he was crazy. 

“Yeah. That’s some good vision you got there-“

“No… You know what I mean, Chang.” He said, reaching up to push the bangs out of Changkyun’s face so he could see his eyes better.

“It was cold, and I own a lot of turtlenecks. I kept them around to hide things. Here-“ He pushed Wonho off of his lap, pulling the long sleeved shirt over his head and tossing it on the floor. Wonho was always surprised to see all the marks and bruises on him, even though he knew they were there. He traced his hands over Changkyun’s chest, stopping at the bite on his collarbone. It made Changkyun seem even more fragile to him, like he could break him in his arms if he wasn’t careful. The kid was strong, but all humans seemed weaker to him in the first place. Changkyun climbed into his lap, holding onto his shoulders and looking in his eyes. He was so close, Wonho was going to lose his control. 

“Kiss my neck.” He said, hands traveling down Wonho’s back to pull him closer against him. Wonho cocked his head to the side in confusion. 

“But you-“

“I need to get over it. You can help. Kiss my neck.” He repeated, tilting his head a bit. Wonho thought he was being ridiculous, so he moved in and kissed his nose instead. 

“I don’t want to put you in a situation you’re not comfortable in.” He whispered, Changkyun frowning at him.

“Kiss my neck. Please.” He said, the last word had such a whine to it that Wonho suddenly felt heated again. He nodded, wrapping his arms around Changkyun as he left kisses on the underside of his jaw. He slowly moved down to his neck, leaving the softest kisses he could, trying not to bother the marks left behind by Jooheon incase they still hurt.

“No… Harder.” Changkyun breathed, fingernails digging into his back. Wonho couldn’t understand what was up with him, where was this sudden confidence coming from? He went with it, leaving rougher kisses along his neck and down to his collarbone. The small moans coming from Changkyun made the room feel too hot, Wonho quickly moving his hands to rip off his own shirt. 

“God, what’s gotten into you?” He asked, moving to the other side of Changkyun’s neck and sucking until he was sure there would be a bruise in the morning. “You’re killing me.” He breathed against his neck, hand traveling down to mess with Changkyun’s pants. Wonho felt Changkyun shake the smallest bit against him and he pulled back, moving his hands back up to his back. “Are you okay? Is this okay?” He asked, kissing the underside of his jaw again instead of his neck. 

“No, come back.” He said, Wonho’s lips finding his again in a second. 

_He’s thinking about Jooheon, reassure him. Okay that’s my last word of wisdom, I’m not looking in on this shit anymore._

Wonho almost jumped at Hyungwon’s voice in his head, which hadn’t scared him in a while.

_Pervert. But thank you._

Wonho pulled back, reaching up to cup Changkyun’s face with his hands. 

“Slow down. You don’t have to take it this fast.” He said, Changkyun already breathing hard. He reached up to wipe over Wonho’s swollen lip with his thumb, smiling at him. 

“How come you don’t have a problem being this close to me… and being hungry?” He asked, Wonho’s hands falling back down to his sides. To be honest he hadn’t really thought about it, he had his blood bags for meals, and the smell of Changkyun never really bothered him. He had been so focused on taking care of him and saving him for the past year on clean-up duty and especially now, that he couldn’t ever picture hurting him. 

“Control.” He said, leaning in to kiss Changkyun. He bit gently on the part of his lip that wasn’t hurt, his incisors not even coming out. 

“Then why do your eyes turn red?” Changkyun asked, breath mixing with his. Wonho laughed, nuzzling his face in his neck as his cheeks turned red to match. 

“When I say control, I mean control over bloodlust. Not with regular lust… I don’t have much control over that right now.” He said, the prominent bulge in his jeans making that clear. Changkyun laughed as Wonho left more kisses along his neck.“If this is another Q and A, may I ask you why you’re thinking of Jooheon while I’m kissing you?” Wonho asked, looking up at him. Changkyun groaned, definitely leaving some curses in his head for Hyungwon. 

“I swear to god, I’m going to kill him. I’ll _kill_ him.” He huffed, pushing Wonho down onto the bed and climbing over him. He started kissing his collarbone, and traveled down to his chest. “I’m not thinking of him, I’m thinking of how it felt.” He said, moving down even further until his lips were right below Wonho’s bellybutton. Wonho whined, throwing his head back as Changkyun started messing with his pant’s buckle. “How rough he was. Some sick part of me still wants some of that, without the rapey vibe he had of course. Or the killer vibe.” Changkyun continued, getting Wonho’s pants unbuttoned and pulling them down. He kissed along the hem of his boxers, every movement agonizingly slow. 

“You mean… you liked some of-“

“I wouldn’t say that exactly.” Changkyun interrupted, his lips now on the inside of Wonho’s thigh. He bit down softly, and it took everything in Wonho not to moan. He knew Hyungwon and Minhyuk would hear him if he did, and then he wouldn’t hear the last of it. “More like, it became normal. Now everything is too gentle with you.” He muttered, hands carelessly playing with Wonho’s boxers and what was under them.

“Don’t you like gentle?” Wonho asked, his voice a little higher pitched than usual. Changkyun made his answer clear with his actions, and Wonho’s fingernails dug into the sheets. 

_Oh things are getting spicy again…_

_“HYUNGWON_!” Wonho sat up, moving away from Changkyun as much as it hurt him to. “That’s it! I can’t deal with this.” Changkyun watched him with a humorous expression, wiping the back of his hand across his lips. God, Wonho wanted just just deal with the fucker and let Changkyun finish what he’d started, but he didn’t want Hyungwon listening in. 

   "To be completely honest, that was _not_ the name I expected you to be screaming." Changkyun chuckled, Wonho rolling his eyes at him. They heard laughing from the other room as Wonho scrambled off the bed and pulled his jeans back up, throwing on his hoodie and picking up Changkyun in his arms. 

“We’re going to your place.” He growled, Changkyun laughing at him. 

“Is he really bothering you that bad? It’s nothing he hasn't seen or done with you before…” Part of that sounded almost jealous, and Wonho leaned in to kiss his cheek. 

“That was decades ago. And I don’t want anyone knowing our business.” He said, pushing the door open with his hip as he walked out.

“Don’t wait up for us, asshole!” He shouted towards the door, picking up Minhyuk’s keys before he walked out of the apartment.

“I like when you carry me like this. But it’s fucking cold and you didn’t let me put a jacket back on.” Wonho held him closer as he found Minhyuk’s car, quickly getting Changkyun inside before he froze. When he got in the driver’s seat he took his hoodie off and threw it at him, he didn’t get cold or hot anymore because he was basically dead. Changkyun put it over his head in an instant, keeping the hood on and pulling his knees to his chest.

“Hurry up and drive before I take you right fucking now.” He whispered, Wonho turning red as he started up the car. His pants were still unbuckled, and his hard on was _very_ noticeable. They drove in silence for a few minutes before Changkyun had enough of the tension and situated himself so that his head was in Wonho’s lap, hands pulling at the hem of his boxers to free him again. Wonho almost spun out at the sudden movement, trying to keep his calm as Changkyun’s warm hand curled around his base. 

“What are we in fucking high school now?” He groaned, keeping his eyes on the road as Changkyun began to slowly pump. He bit his lip to keep from moaning, almost making it bleed as Changkyun’s strokes began to get more rough. He felt his eyes on him, but he didn’t dare to look down, keeping his eyes on the street signs and trying to distract himself from the fact that there was a hot human currently toying with his dick. When he started quickening the pace, Wonho felt his stomach churning, and his thighs tensed up. 

“It’s just… another block.” Wonho started breathing heavy, one hand on the wheel and the other moving to the back of Changkyun’s neck as he leaned down closer to tease him with his tongue. Wonho’s fingers dug into the steering wheel as his felt warm lips leaving kisses all along his dick. 

“If you make me crash, You’re the only one dying, y’know? I’m immortal.” Wonho said, even though at this point he didn’t want Changkyun to stop, he wanted him to hurry it up. He heard Changkyun laugh, and then suddenly he took him into his mouth. “ _Fuck_ , Chang…” His movements started out agonizing slow, but the pressure was getting to Wonho, and when Changkyun’s head started to bob when he took in his cock, he had to pull the car over right before they got to the apartment complex. Once parked he leaned his head back against the seat, his other hand unsteadily falling from the steering wheel. Changkyun still had one hand wrapped around his base as he sucked, and Wonho felt himself coming close from all the built up tension earlier. “Chang… I-“ He moaned, hand moving from Changkyun’s neck to grip the hair on the back of his head, fingers curling in it aggressively and pulling Changkyun down closer. Changkyun hummed at the movement, which made Wonho twitch, his thighs starting to shake. He didn’t worry about being loud anymore, Hyungwon was definitely out of range, and the moans that came out of Wonho’s mouth seemed to have an effect on Changkyun. He moved his hand to the inside of Wonho’s thigh, fingernails digging into the skin as he took him in even deeper. Wonho’s hips buckled forward, trying his hardest not to fuck Changkyun’s mouth, still unsure of what he was okay with and what he wasn’t. 

“I’m.. I’m close. Chang-“ Wonho stopped talking, the moaning sounds coming from Changkyun making his hips thrust up again as all of his other senses started to dull. All it took was Changkyun looking up at him and he finally released into the back of his throat. “ _Fuck_.” His fingers began to loosen from their grip in Changkyun’s hair, all the tension finally leaving his body as Changkyun pulled back and started rubbing him through his orgasm. He left kisses on the inside of Wonho’s thighs as he did so, especially the places where his fingernails had left marks. Wonho relaxed back into the seat and closed his eyes, breathing out a sigh, trying to slow down his breathing again.

“You ready to go inside?” Changkyun asked, his deep voice in his lap making Wonho groan. He slowly opened his eyes, coming back to reality and lifting up Changkyun’s face to kiss him. He kissed him soft and slow, Changkyun smiling against his lips. 

“You’re so beautiful.” Wonho murmured against his lips, pulling back to look him in the eyes again. Changkyun smiled, suddenly shy, his cheeks turning red and his small dimples showing up. Wonho pulled his hood back onto his head before opening the door of the car and hopping out, locking up before pulling Chang out too. 

“You said you like when I carry you, and I never let you get shoes so…” He laughed, walking towards the apartment with Changkyun cradled in his arms. Chang started kissing his neck as he walked into the main elevator, Wonho was glad it was almost two in the morning so none of the residents were walking around. When they finally got to the right floor Wonho put Changkyun down so he could unlock the door, taking the hidden spare key from under his mat. The second they got inside Changkyun pushed Wonho against the wall, attacking his lips again, not even giving him a second to breathe. 

“And you thought I was the impatient one.” Wonho laughed against his lips, hands finding his ass and pulling him flush against him. Changkyun moaned into his mouth Wonho lifted him again, turning them around so that Changkyun’s back was against the wall and Wonho’s hands under his thighs. 

“God, I love when you do that.” Changkyun breathed, Wonho moving away from his lips to suck on his neck. Wonho could feel Changkyun’s erection against his waist, and he pushed forward to create even more friction and make Changkyun moan louder. It was such a great sound, and Wonho couldn’t get enough of it. He kissed down Changkyun’s neck until hands found his head and brought him back to his lips. Changkyun’s legs wrapped around the back of Wonho, squeezing tight as he reached over his back and bit down on his shoulder. Wonho could feel Chang’s fingernails in his back, and it was driving him insane. 

“Fuck, Changkyun… I need to return the favor.” He said, quickly lowering Changkyun back to the ground and dropping to his knees in front of him. He hurriedly reached for Changkyun’s buckle, messing with the zipper when he felt Changkyun suddenly freeze. Wonho was worried he’d done something wrong. He pulled back and looked up at him, but Changkyun wasn’t looking at him, he was looking straight ahead. There was a look of fear in his eyes, and Wonho started to worry.

“Chang… what is it?” He asked softly, slowly standing up again as Changkyun moved into his chest, hiding his face there. Wonho felt him shaking, and he was afraid to turn around and see what spooked him this much. He already knew. 

“I always knew you liked my chew toy, Hoseok. But I never thought he would like you back.” Jooheon’s voice sounded from the living room. Wonho turned around to face him, keeping Changkyun behind his back. The boy wrapped his arms around Wonho’s chest, hiding his face against his back. 

“Why are you in his house?” Wonho asked through clenched teeth, hands balling into fists at his sides. Jooheon walked over to the wall and turned on the light, revealing his blood soaked shirt and twisted smirk. Wonho felt Changkyun’s arms tighten around him and he started to fear that he wouldn’t be strong enough to protect him like he’d promised. 

“I heard the boy wasn’t dead like he was supposed to be. I came by to check. And look at that, you brought him right to me. Good boy.” Jooheon flashed a smile, his eyes already red and incisors showing. 

“You’re not taking him from me.” Wonho snarled, flashing his teeth at Jooheon. He knew it wouldn’t be a fair fight, but he had to try. He tried to distract Jooheon while he slowly pulled the phone out of his back pocket, poking Changkyun with it. Hopefully he could text Hyungwon. 

“Oh baby, you know you’re not strong enough.” Jooheon clicked his tongue, staring to walk towards them. “I can tear you apart… But I wont.” He cocked his head to the side, smiling at him. “I would rather tear _him_ apart first.” Changkyun had moved his hands from around Wonho and took the phone from him, Wonho hoped he would hurry. 

“I’ve gotten a lot stronger-“

“You’ve been eating take-out, I’ve been eating from the source.” Jooheon laughed, now only a few inches from him. Wonho backed up, reaching one hand back to hold onto Changkyun protectively. “You’re so cute, thinking you can actually keep him safe.” Jooheon said, clicking his tongue again before winding his arm back and punching Wonho straight in the nose. He quickly pushed Changkyun back against the door before he went after Jooheon, hand reaching for his throat as he used all of his strength to push him further back into the living room and away from the kid. Jooheon kept laughing, the hold around his neck apparently wasn't enough. He was just toying with Wonho.

Wonho threw a punch, but Jooheon blocked it and punched him in the gut. 

“This is the most fun I’ve had in a while, most humans don’t fight back. Your boy over there never did, he just submitted to me. You know, he tastes so good. Not just his blood-“ Wonho screamed and rushed forward, knocking Jooheon onto the floor using all of his weight. He sat over him and threw punches at his face, over and over and over again until he started seeing red. Nothing seemed to be doing any real harm to Jooheon. 

“You’re never going to touch him again you _bastard_!” Wonho yelled, his incisors coming out. Jooheon reached up and grabbed his wrists, squeezing them so hard he felt like they would break before flinging him off of him. 

“It was cute at first, but now you’rejust getting kind of annoying. Like a mosquito.” He said, standing up and stepping on Wonho’s chest with his boot. Wonho grabbed at his ankle, trying to move him off as he weighed him down. 

“You can do anything you want to me, but you’re _not_ touching him.” He said through clenched teeth, Jooheon just shrugged and reached down to pick him up by his neck.

“I don’t want anything to do with you, Hoseok. I just want to finish off my trash.” He smirked at Wonho and threw him to the side with such force that he hit the nearby wall. His vision started to blur as he scrambled to stand back up. Jooheon walked towards Changkyun, who now had a bat in his hands. 

“Stop hurting him if it’s me you want, prick!” He yelled, rushing forward and swinging the bat at Jooheon. Jooheon caught it midair and took it from him, breaking the wooden thing over his knee like a stick. He laughed as Changkyun rushed forward anyway, throwing punches at his jaw. Nothing was phasing him at all. Wonho tried to run over and jump on Jooheon’s back to keep him away, but Jooheon was too fast for him, and he was thrown against the wall again. 

“Are you telling me you’re actually catching feelings for a vampire? After how disgusted you were with me?” Jooheon asked, catching Changkyun’s jaw in his hand and pulling him forward until he was inches from his face. “I can’t say I’m not offended.” He went to kiss Changkyun, but Changkyun bit down on his lip and kicked at his knees to try to get away. Wonho was back on his feet by then, going for Changkyun instead of Jooheon this time, pulling the kid out of his grasp and hiding him behind his back. 

“Don’t. Touch. Him.” Wonho spat blood at him, shakily raising his fists up again even though he felt like he was going to keel over any second now. Jooheon pouted at him, shaking his head. 

“It’s actually kind of sad, watching you pathetically try to fight.” Jooheon moved forward, reaching to wipe up the blood from the cut on Wonho’s forehead before licking his finger. “You still taste like shit… Oh well.” He said, spitting the blood on the floor before rushing forward and biting into his neck. Wonho flinched, Jooheon’s hands wrapping around his back and pulling him closer as he bit down harsher, tearing the skin. Changkyun was yelling behind him, but his vision was starting to blur the more Jooheon took. Vampires didn’t have much in their systems to begin with, he wouldn’t be able to last too much longer. Whenever he drank from Hyungwon it had to be right after he had a big meal, and it could never be too much. He struggled against him, but there was no way he was getting out of this.

“Get off of him!” Changkyun’s screams sounded far away, and he could slowly feel himself falling into unconsciousness. He pushed against Jooheon with the last bit of strength he had, but it was useless. Jooheon pulled back and let Wonho fall to the ground in front of him. The whole room began to spin after his head came in contact with the hard floor again, but he could still feel Changkyun’s hands on him. Everything going on was a distant echo, and within seconds the hands and the screams were gone and he was left with just darkness.

 

When he came to again he was moving. It took him a second to realize someone was carrying him, his face against a chest. He opened his eyes, blinking to see Hyungwon looking down at him concerned. 

“Where’s Chang?” Wonho asked, coughing up some blood when he tried to speak. Hyungwon looked away, continuing to walk in silence. He felt them going up steps, and the familiar scent was definitely their apartment. He didn’t smell Changkyun.

“Wonie… Please.” Wonho whined, trying to lift his hand to punch at Hyungwon’s chest. “Answer me. Where _is_ he?!” They were inside now, Minhyuk rushing over to them with blood bags. Hyungwon sat Wonho down on the couch against his will and held him down, Min opening a blood bag and sticking it in his mouth. He squirmed, but Hyungwon held his chin still, tilting his head back as they poured the thick liquid down his throat. The pain in his head slowly started to fade, but he didn’t care. When Minhyuk finally pulled away Wonho looked directly at Hyungwon with tears in his eyes.

“Please…” He said, reaching out for Hyungwon’s shirt and pulling him towards him. “Where?” He already knew the answer, but everything in him wanted to be wrong. Hyungwon looked away, Minhyuk sitting down on the couch next to Wonho with bandages in his hands. 

“Jooheon has him. We were too late. I’m sorry.” Hyungwon said. Wonho fell forward into Hyungwon’s chest, beating his fists against him until Hyungwon grabbed onto him and pulled him up into a hug. The anger started to dispense and Wonho’s heart dropped, Hyungwon’s arms rubbing his back in a comforting manner. He failed Changkyun. He promised he would protect him, and he failed him again. All he has done since meeting him was fail him. He was probably hurt right now, Jooheon was probably going to kill him. He failed. Wonho found himself crying into Hyungwon’s shoulder, unable to control it, trying to think of what to do next. All he knew was next time he was going to kill Jooheon. No matter what it took.

  _You didn’t fail. We’re going to get him back. I promise._


	5. Jekyll and Hyde

   Changkyun curled up under the covers, pulling himself into a ball. It was freezing, and Jooheon didn’t seem to have the heart in him to turn on some heat in this place. From what he guessed it could be Kihyun’s apartment, but he still hadn’t seen Kihyun. Maybe it was somewhere else then, Kihyun’s apartment would have been too easy for Wonho to find him. 

He still hadn’t drank from him, he’d barely even touched him. It was odd, Changkyun was starting to think Jooheon just wanted him as a prize or something. He heard him walking around in the room and he shut his eyes. He hoped he wouldn’t come to bed, Changkyun was exhausted and he didn’t know how much more he could deal with. His body was still weak from last time Jooheon dealt with him, the guy didn’t hold back. He had the hood over his head, the hoodie smelling like Wonho. He crossed his arms over his chest, trying to warm up, when suddenly the blanket was torn off of him. He didn’t open his eyes, didn’t move, in case Jooheon decided to just leave. He didn’t. Without a word he grabbed Changkyun’s arm and yanked him upright. He almost dislocated his shoulder in the process, and he yelped out in pain. 

“Dinner time.” Jooheon muttered, pulling at the bottom of the hoodie. Changkyun tried to keep it down with one hand, already shivering from the blanket being gone. 

“Could you turn on some heat in this place first?” He asked, his teeth chattering against his will. Jooheon rolled his eyes, throwing Changkyun back on the bed before leaving the room. He sat up, pulling the blanket around his shoulders and brought his knees to his chest. He wouldn't get out of this one, he was going to die here. He reached for his cross necklace, holding it tightly in his palm as Jooheon walked back into the room, running a hand through his black hair. 

“It will start to heat up soon.” He said passively, walking over to pull Changkyun’s legs straight. Changkyun winced when Jooheon positioned himself on top of his lap, grabbing a hold of the hoodie again and yanking it off. He seemed proud of all the marks he left, because he smiled and leaned forward to trace his teeth over them. Changkyun shook against him, hands frozen at his sides as his whole body tensed up. He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down.

“You’re more scared than usual… Promise I won’t kill you yet.” Jooheon murmured, smiling down at him like a predator. Changkyun concentrated on breathing as Jooheon grabbed onto his shoulders and roughly pulled him forward. He laid his forehead on Jooheon’s shoulder, too weak to do anything, as Jooheon teased around his neck. 

“Just do it.” He whispered, his voice cracking. Jooheon’s hands moved down to his sides, finding their favorite place and pulling him flush against him. 

“If you say so.” A second later he bit down, and Changkyun flinched, squinting his eyes closed against Jooheon’s shoulder. It felt almost worse than before, because he was opening up an old wound. Changkyun’s hands gripped onto Jooheon’s jacket, trying to distract himself from the pain as he bit his lip to keep quiet.

“Moan for me like you did for him.” Jooheon growled, moving to bite down on his collarbone. Changkyun yelped at the sudden change, and Jooheon seemed pleased with that. He pushed Changkyun back against the bed and towered over him, the pulling sensation of blood leaving his body so quickly feeling like fire igniting underneath his skin. He dug his fingers into the sheets as Jooheon pressed down against him, biting at his lips as well, as much as he tried to pull away. He just had to lay there and take it. He was just a body, being used, nothing else. When Jooheon started to move lower, leaving bite marks on his chest and stomach, Changkyun stared up at the ceiling and gave up. He couldn’t run from this anymore, he was just a source of food for Jooheon, that was it. Even so, as Jooheon came back up from his chest to kiss him again, he started feeling guilty. There was nothing he could do to stop it, but his head kept filling with Wonho.

 

The next three nights went the same way, and Changkyun felt himself getting weaker by the second. He couldn’t even tell what day it was anymore, Jooheon barely gave him any food or water, just enough to keep him breathing. He had gotten up a few times when Jooheon had left to look for exits, but Jooheon had locked the door from the outside and put locks on all the windows. The only food he was able to find in the cabinets were ramen and some microwavable soup, but he tried not to eat too much of it because he didn’t want Jooheon to notice, nor did he know how long he would be stuck here. There was no phone line running through the apartment, nor did he have his cell on him. It had gotten to the point where he could barely stand up anymore. His head would start to spin and he would fall back down on the bed. He slept most the time, and Jooheon usually left during the night. He would come back hours later with blood on his clothes or his fists, and Changkyun would worry about the people he came in contact with. Most of the time he spent curled up in Wonho’s hoodie, sleeping all of the nights away until Jooheon came home hungry. He was a prisoner. 

One day the door opened and Jooheon walked in with a body over his shoulder. Changkyun blinked, trying to figure out if what he was seeing was real or just another one of his frequent nightmares. 

“I brought you a friend.” Jooheon called, walking into the room and dropping the bloodied body on the bed. Changkyun sat up and moved back against the headboard, pulling his knees to his chest. 

“What the fuck, Jooheon?! Who is this?!” He shouted the questions, his voice hoarse. Jooheon just laughed and walked over to him, jumping onto the bed exhaustedly and sitting crosslegged in front of Changkyun. 

“Got some old business to attend to with this one.” He said, nodding his head to the boy. His phone started to ring in his pocket and he took it out with a sigh, one arm resting on Changkyun’s knee. He tried to get a glimpse of the number calling, and Jooheon hesitated enough for him to see. Minhyuk.

“Fuck. I’m going soft.” He said, answering the phone and bringing it up to his ear. Changkyun stared at him in disbelief as he winked and stood up from the bed. 

“Minpup, I got some good news for you about an old friend of ours.” He said, walking out of the room so Changkyun couldn’t hear anything else. Minhyuk? Wouldn’t Minhyuk be trying to find him? Maybe he is trying to find him, maybe that’s why he’s calling Jooheon. Why did it take him this long? Maybe he didn’t care about Changkyun at all… He was about to stand up to follow Jooheon out of the room and overhear the conversation, looking for hope anywhere he could get it, but then his eyes fell on the body again. He was a boy, a little older than him, blonde hair and a roundish face. He had circular glasses on, but they seemed to be a little broken. He looked like he was breathing, so Changkyun slowly moved forward and poked him. The boy groaned in response. He was alive. Changkyun moved quickly to look at his neck, finding blood seeping onto the sheets. 

“ _Fuck_.” He muttered under his breath, trying his best to stand up from the bed without falling over. He made his way over to the dresser, hands against the wall to keep him up. There were some worn clothes in the top drawer, he took some before collapsing back onto the bed. He ripped the t-shirt he found and dabbed at the blood before putting pressure on it to keep it from gushing out. The boy’s eyes began to flutter open at the movement and he looked up at Changkyun in fear. 

“Who-?” He was cut off by a coughing fit as he tried to sit up to get away. 

“No no no, it’s okay, I’m just like you.” Changkyun said, taking one hand to pull the hoodie down and show the bite marks on his neck. The guy seemed to relax a bit so Changkyun slowly placed his hand back on his neck to keep pressure. 

“Do you… do you know him?” He asked, looking over Changkyun’s shoulder in the direction Jooheon went. 

“Yeah, unfortunately. Did he just pick you off the street?” He asked, wondering if Jooheon had been messing around with someone else, or if he’d just found a stranger. From what it sounded like, maybe he knew Minhyuk. Maybe he was the old friend.

“No, I was with my friends. They seemed like they knew him. They were monsters too.” The guy started to panic so Changkyun reached out with his free hand to rub his shoulder reassuringly. Sounds like Minhyuk and Jooheon most likely know his friends, but this guy had no clue.

“It’s okay. Let’s start with something easy. What’s your name?” Changkyun asked, the guy reaching up to take the cloth from him and hold it over his wound. 

“I’m Jeon Hojoon.” He said, wincing in pain when he pushed down too hard on his neck. “I work at the ramen shop down the road-“

“You mean Joo’s?” Changkyun asked, picking up the blanket from behind him to wrap around the guy’s shoulders when he noticed him shivering. Hojoon nodded, tilting his head at Changkyun as he examined him closer.

“You were there recently, weren't you?” He asked, pushing his broken glasses up the bridge of his nose. Changkyun nodded, flashes of Wonho filling his mind again. 

“Yeah I was with a friend, a friend who knows this guy that took you. By chance, do you know a guy named Lee Minhyuk? Did your friends ever mention him?” Changkyun pushed, the boy squinting his eyes in concentration. 

“I’ve heard the name, never met him though. My friend Ji Ho mentioned him a few times. Usually whenever he was drinking. None of his stories ever added up, mostly because of the alcohol, but I think he felt guilty about something.” He shrugged his shoulders, apparently not knowing much about the story. It was enough for Changkyun to guess Jooheon’s motive this time, which wasn’t looking good for the boy sat in front of him. “You said you came to our place with a friend. You’re talking about the cute black haired boy, right? Wonho. My friend who works there used to talk about him all the time, I think they had a thing-“

“Who?” Changkyun didn’t mean to butt in so fast, honestly he actually got slightly irritated by the jealousy rising inside of him. Hojoon seemed to notice, because he tried to laugh it off.

“Oh it was nothing, just a few dates. Minsung doesn’t have sex so it didn’t last too long.” That explained the winking at the shop that day. Changkyun couldn’t help but still feel a little uneasy. He should be worrying about Minhyuk, and why Jooheon brought this guy here, and what this Ji Ho dude had to do with anything. But he was low on food, on blood, and on a will to live. Something was finally spiking his interest that wasn’t about staying alive. 

“I’ve met him. When was this?” Changkyun asked, realizing he was starting to sound like he was interrogating the guy. 

“You seem to care a lot about this guy’s love life.” Hojoon said, raising his eyebrows at him. “It was just about a year ago, only lasted a few weeks.” He said, shrugging his shoulders again. Changkyun clicked his tongue, thinking back to what was happening a year ago. That was the beginning of Jooheon making his life a living hell, so also the time Wonho was on clean up duty. He had liked Wonho since he started working there, he was starting to wonder when Wonho started to like him.

“Oh, I don’t care too much, I’m just curious.” He decided it was a good time to change the topic when Hojoon gave him a questioning look. “That dick out there, he is on the phone with Wonho’s roommate right now. I was living with them for a few days, and it didn’t seem like Min and him were talking at all. If your Ji Ho knew Min, maybe that has something to do with this business Jooheon is talking about.” Changkyun was just thinking out loud, and Hojoon seemed about ready to doze off from the lack of blood in his system. 

“I really don’t know man. I told you, I didn’t even know my friends were monsters. I can’t believe Minsung is… that _thing_.” He said, a disgusted look in his eyes. Changkyun shook his head, reaching out to place a hand on the guy’s shoulder. 

“They might be vampires, but I have met a few of your friends, and they seem like good people. Jooheon is a monster, but not all of them are. Minsung is kind, I doubt he is an actual monster. You have to give him a chance at least.” Changkyun wished he knew how to explain it better, but he still couldn’t completely convince himself that things were totally safe with Wonho. Hojoon didn’t seem like he wanted to believe him, and he probably wouldn’t until the initial shock of all this happening wore off a bit, but he wasn’t about to argue.

“I don’t feel too good.” He whispered, taking the soaked cloth away from his neck. The bleeding had stopped, but he had lost a lot. Changkyun took it from his hand and threw it on the bedside table. 

“Of course you don’t.” Changkyun said as he moved towards the head of the bed and leaned over. He had stashed a water bottle and a candy bar there that he had stole from the kitchen one of the nights Jooheon went out. He was saving it incase Jooheon took too much blood, but right now Hojoon needed it more. He held out the bottle of water to him first, smiling when he hesitantly took it. 

“You don’t have to be scared of me, I’m harmless. Liquids, especially water, help your body a lot after blood loss. You probably feel dizzy right now, once you get some liquids and sugar in you to make the blood production increase, you need to get some rest.” He said, holding up the candy bar. 

“Seems like you’ve dealt with this a lot, you really know your blood.” Hojoon said, taking a few gulps of water before handing it back to Chang and taking the candy bar. “How long has this been… happening to you?”

“Little over a year, this is probably the worse it’s gotten yet. I promise you I won’t let that happen to you. Jooheon has hurt and killed enough while I’ve sat here unable to do anything, or hid from him. I’ll try to do what I can. On the bright side he was talking to my friend, maybe Hyungwon could find a way to trace the call somehow, since he’s telepathic an all.” Changkyun laughed when he saw the confused look on Hojoon’s face, the candy bar halfway to his mouth. “Don’t worry about it today, just worry about staying alive.”

“Thanks for helping me. I’m glad I’m not alone in this.” Hojoon said after finishing half of the candy bar and handing the rest back to Changkyun. 

“I would say I’m glad to have someone to talk to, but that would be in bad taste seeing as how you’re stuck here against your will. Here, get some sleep, I’ll keep an eye out for Jooheon so you don’t have to worry.” Changkyun patted the spot next to him on the bed where a pillow was. Hojoon smiled at him, slowly maneuvering to lay down, the blanket still wrapped around his shoulders.

He was asleep within the minute, and Changkyun went back to leaning against the headboard and watching the door protectively. He reached up to put the hood back over his head, the smell of Wonho comforting in some way. He hoped he would find him soon. 

 

A few hours passed before Jooheon came back into the room. Changkyun had almost fallen asleep when he heard the footsteps getting closer. He sat up and positioned himself between Hojoon and the edge of the bed, hanging his legs over the side incase he needed to get up quickly and get Jooheon away. 

Jooheon walked in the door and laughed to himself, apparently finding it hilarious that Changkyun was being protective. 

“My pets are getting along. Too bad we’re going to have to put this one down, huh Chang?” He whispered mockingly, a smirk on his face that made Changkyun want to punch him. 

“You're not killing him. Kill me if you have to. I don’t want anymore innocent blood on my conscious.” Changkyun tried to stay quiet, not wanting Hojoon to wake up and the stress make his condition worse. He reached up to grab ahold of his cross habitually, the cold metal familiar in his palm. Jooheon shook his head, walking over to the edge of the bed and kneeling in front of him. His hands came up and found Changkyun’s thighs, holding onto them tightly.

“I don’t want to kill you yet, we’re having too much fun. I’ll keep this small one around for a few days.” Jooheon said, face inches from Changkyun’s. “Then I’ll kill him. He’s not here for fun like you are, he’s here for business.” He leaned in to kiss his neck, Changkyun doing his best not to pull away from him, he didn’t want Jooheon to bite. “He’s only here because I have a little quarrel with Ji Ho. This one belongs to him, funny though the poor kid didn’t even know he was a vamp.” Jooheon laughed, standing back up and walking towards the door. He hesitated before he left, looking back at Changkyun. 

“You coming?” Jooheon asked, cocking his head at him. “I thought we’d change it up a bit because we have company.” Changkyun knew the question was more of a command. He slowly stood up from the bed and stuffed his hands in the front pocket of the hoodie. He tried to steady his breath before walking forward slowly, everything felt light and fuzzy now that he was on his feet. He hadn’t even lost too much blood in the past twenty four hours, his body was just getting more weak by the day. Jooheon loved Min at one point, there had to be something inside that still felt that. There had to be some part of him that cared for people. From what he’d heard from Wonho abouttheir relationship, Jooheon always kept Min safe, and he often babied him. None of them had seen this coming, something really bad must have happened. 

“God, you’re taking too long.” Jooheon whined, walking towards him and scooping him up in his arms. “I guess I have to go easy tonight if I still want you around in the morning.” He muttered irritably, walking towards the kitchen and placing Changkyun down on the counter. Changkyun just blinked at him, trying to figure out why he was acting differently. Why would he care if Changkyun was alive or not? He had plenty of food sources. Maybe because Changkyun was something to Wonho, Min and Hyungwon. Or maybe he actually liked him in some weird twisted way. Changkyun rested his head back against the kitchen cabinets, his legs dangling off the side of the counter, as Jooheon pulled his hoodie over his head. He was so used to Jooheon stripping him, that he didn’t even react. 

“Why did Minhyuk call?” Changkyun asked, Jooheon stepping closer to the counter and wrapping his arms around his waist. He pulled him closer, Changkyun’s legs on either side of Jooheon. 

“That’s not a question I want to go over right now. If you think he’s calling about you, you don’t know Minhyuk. He doesn’t care about you, so get that idea out of your head.” Jooheon said, leaning in and touching his nose to the underside of Changkyun’s jaw. Changkyun didn’t fight, he leaned his head back to expose his neck, wanting this to be over with as quick as possible. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt as much since Jooheon was in this weird mood. Maybe this was Changkyun’s chance.

“What about you?” He asked quietly, feeling Jooheon’s hands tighten around his back. He moved away from his neck, lips finding Changkyun’s instead. The kiss wasn’t to hurt, it wasn’t to show possession, it wasn’t to draw blood… It was different. Changkyun kissed back so Jooheon wouldn’t get upset and actually hurt him, the whole time feeling guilty about Wonho. 

“No more questions and I’ll only take a little tonight.” Jooheon breathed against his lips, slowly moving back down to his neck. Changkyun kept his eyes closed, hands finding Jooheon’s shoulders to dig his nails into when the pain got too much. Jooheon bit down gently, but Changkyun still winced. His hands subconsciously moved from Jooheon’s shoulders to the back of his head, fingers twisting in his hair. He had to do what Jooheon wanted. If he did, if he got him to care, maybe he could stay alive and keep him away from Hojoon long enough for Wonho to find him. 

Jooheon wanted him to be loud, that was usually his only request, so Changkyun moaned against him as he took more blood, bringing Jooheon even closer into his neck. The pressure hurt, but something about it started to feel good, and it distracted from the fear. Changkyun was disgusted with his own thoughts. 

“You’re acting different tonight.” Jooheon breathed, pulling back away from his neck and nibbling at his ears to get more sounds out of Changkyun.

“Move back down.” He whispered, hands reaching for Jooheon’s hair again and pulling him there himself. Jooheon liked the sudden confidence, he could tell. The initial pinch still hurt, but he wanted this to be over with as quickly as possible. He was already starting to get dizzy as Jooheon moved down to his collarbone. 

By the time he was finished with him he came up to kiss him again. It was different, just like before, and he didn’t bite down on his lip this time. The way Jooheon was kissing him seemed eager, his hands traveling around the counter to grab ahold of his hips and pull him even closer. It reminded him of the first time Wonho kissed him. 

When he finally pulled back he looked heated. His lips were swollen, brown hair a mess and falling into his eyes, and Changkyun couldn’t say he didn’t notice the erection pushed against his crotch. They just stared at each other for a few minutes, neither knowing what to do, until Jooheon finally picked Changkyun up and moved him to the kitchen table. He didn’t say anything, just put Changkyun down in the chair and walked away. Changkyun breathed out a sigh, leaning forward and resting his head on the tabletop. Everything was getting fuzzy, and his head felt like someone took a jack hammer to it. He felt hands on his shoulders and looked up as Jooheon reached towards his neck with a wet cloth.

“Don’t think I’m going soft or anything. Don’t want you to bleed out before I can have my fun with you.” Jooheon muttered, sitting down in the chair next to him to clean his wound. Changkyun just stared at him in silence as he took the rag away and proceeded to throw the hoodie back on him. This was the first time in a year that Jooheon ever stuck around for the aftermath.

“Why did you hurt him?” Changkyun asked the obvious to break the awkward silence between them. Jooheon groaned and stood up from the chair, searching his cabinets for food. He put something in the microwave to Changkyun’s surprise, he usually just threw some snacks and water at him in bed to keep him alive. 

“I told you. Ji Ho and I have some business.” Jooheon muttered, words almost too quiet to be comprehendible. Changkyun sighed, laying his head back down on the table. 

“Hojoon isn’t Ji Ho-“ Jooheon slammed his fist on the countertop, cutting him off.

“Ji Ho hurt Min-“ He stopped short, not saying the name, but Changkyun knew who it was.

“He hurt Minhyuk? When he was human, or when he was-“

“Human, you dumb fuck.” The microwave dinged and Jooheon brought the bowl of soup over, sitting down in the chair beside him. He didn't say anything, no nasty remarks, no sarcasm. Changkyun slowly picked up the spoon and raised it to his lips, blowing on it to cool it down. 

“Thank you.” He said, swallowing the warm liquid. Jooheon just nodded his head, seeming antsy, and got up to get a water out of the fridge before sitting back down. They sat there in silence again for a long time as Changkyun ate the soup. Having some food in his system made his head feel a little better. 

“Minhyuk is really worried about you.” Changkyun said after a while, Jooheon refusing to look at him. “The other night at the house he was watching The Notebook. It’s bad.” Changkyun tried to keep the tone light so Jooheon wouldn’t go straight for his throat, but for some reason the guy didn’t seem like he was in that kind of mood. He looked over at Changkyun and cocked his head to the side. 

“You were with Min a lot then. Fucker lied to me.” He said, squinting his eyes at Changkyun as he took a sip of water. “What are you trying to do here? Why are you bringing him up-?”

“You brought him up. And now there is an innocent guy in that room, terrified for his life, just because of him. Do you really think he wants that?” Chang asked, taking a sip of the water. He could tell Jooheon was starting to get angry, so he downed what was left of the water before Jooheon could take it away. 

“That’s enough from you, I liked it better when you didn’t talk.” He said through clenched teeth, standing up from the table and grabbing onto Changkyun’s arm. Changkyun winced as he stood him up and dragged him into the living room. “You’re going to sleep out here tonight, I have some business to attend to in there.” He pushed Changkyun down on the couch and went to walk away, but Changkyun caught his hand. He pushed down all of his fear and disgust at what he was about to ask, because he couldn’t just stand by and listen to Jooheon torment the boy.

“Why the couch?” Changkyun asked, Jooheon’s back still to him. He stood up, moving forward until he was pressed up against Jooheon’s back, and reached his hand around and under his shirt. He was hoping Jooheon was still turned on enough from earlier that he would fall for it. He wasn’t stupid, but some parts of him definitely wanted this. “Why not your room?” He breathed, standing on his toes to kiss the side of Jooheon’s neck. He closed his eyes, Wonho never leaving his mind, and felt like he would crumble over from the guilt. This wasn’t what he wanted, it was what he had to do. His hand traveled down to Jooheon’s pants, pulling at the buckle as Jooheon turned around roughly in his arms to stare at him. His eyes were red, and he looked hungry in more ways than one. 

“What are you doing?” He asked, his voice a little weaker than usual. Changkyun drew in closer, biting his shoulder as Jooheon gripped at the bruised parts of his hips. His hands moved from his hips to Changkyun’s ass as he drew closer, his erection pushed against his thigh. He had him where he wanted him. He just had to distract him long enough to keep him away from Hojoon. 

“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m having some fun.” Changkyun said, slowly pulling the shirt over Jooheon’s head. He threw it aside and reached for Jooheon’s hair, gripping it and pulling him down to his lips. He made sure to kiss him hard enough for Jooheon to want more. 

“You don’t want to leave me to sleep with that scrawny kid tonight, do you?” He asked, pulling back to look Jooheon in the eyes. He felt like Jooheon may have been catching onto his plan, but he didn’t seem like he wanted to put a stop to it. He didn’t seem like he had the self control left to do so.

“Get on your knees. _Now_.” 

 

When Changkyun woke up, Jooheon was gone. He was in his room, his clothes thrown to the side of the bed. He hadn’t been in there before, there really wasn’t much. It was pretty dark, grey sheets and a grey comforter. The light was off, a fan spinning above him that made clanking sound like it would break at any second. The after-sex smell made him want to throw up, and everything hurt. Jooheon hadn’t been gentle with him at all like he had earlier, there were bite marks everywhere. He looked over at the bedside table, the drawer open with its contents all over the place. There was a picture frame pushed over, and Changkyun reached out to lift it upright. It was a picture of Jooheon, Minhyuk in his arms. They were both smiling. Changkyun felt himself getting sick when he looked at it, and he jumped up from the bed and made his way to the bathroom inside of the room. He found the toilet and dropped to his knees, throwing up the second he got there, tears filling his eyes. He felt disgusting, the guilt mixed with the dirty feeling he had made him nauseous. He heard the door of the room open as he threw up again, doubled over the toilet and wishing like hell it wasn’t Jooheon.

“Are you okay?” A small voice asked from the doorway. That was when Changkyun became very well aware that he was naked. He tried to cover up, wiping his mouth with his free hand and looking to find Hojoon stood there pushing his glasses up his nose. 

“I’m fi-“ He was cut off by a wave of nausea, rushing forward to throw up again. He felt hands on his back, comfortingly patting him until he got it all out. After he was done, Hojoon helped him up to his feet, walking him towards the bathroom sink so he could lean against it while he started up the shower. 

“Jooheon left a few minutes ago. He didn’t do anything to me last night, or this morning… I know that’s because of you.” He said, walking back over to Changkyun as he looked into the mirror. There were new bruises everywhere, as well as bite marks and dried blood. He almost got sick again just looking at himself, but Hojoon pulled him away.

“Thank you, for what you did.” The guy said, walking him towards the shower. “I’ll keep watch to see if he comes back… freshen up so you feel better.” Changkyun tried his best to smile at him, still embarrassed by the fact that he was naked, and walked the rest of the way into the warm shower. When Hojoon walked back out of the bathroom and closed the door, he shut the curtain and walked under the water. He looked down at his feet, shaking even though the water was hot. It was turning red as the dried blood washed off of him, and he broke down crying when he could tell Hojoon had left the room. Everything was sore, and everything hurt. The water falling on his body made every cut and bite mark sting. Some of the bites were so bad that the skin was torn. He leaned against the wall, his whole body shaking as he sobbed, which just hurt more. He wanted everything to just end already, he couldn’t take much more. 

When he got out of the shower and dried off he tracked down his clothes and put them on before walking back into the bathroom. He put the hood up to cover his hair and inspected the multiple cuts on his lips. They seemed pretty bad, they were starting to bruise again. He sighed, walking out into the living room to see Hojoon sat on the side of the couch with his eyes on the door. When he saw Changkyun, he smiled. 

“Guess what? I found some old bandages in the cabinets.” He said brightly, as if they weren’t both locked in a vampire’s hideout with no way out like sitting ducks waiting to be murdered. Changkyun just went with it, letting him keep his optimism as long as he had it, and went to go sit down on the couch next to him. 

“May I?” He asked, pointing at Changkyun’s hood. He nodded and Hojoon reached out to push his hood back and tilt his head so that he could see the worst of the bites. He started rubbing some antibacterial medicine on it and Changkyun winced. 

“Sorry, it’ll sting a bit. My buddy Minsung used to come into work with these bandages on his neck. I always thought he was trying to hide hickies or something. Then that night I saw Jin Ho and Byung Joo’s teeth.” He said, as if he was trying to start up some small talk or something. 

“Wait, you mean Minsung isn’t a-?”

“He is now. He didn’t use to be.” Hojoon said, sitting back on his heels as he peeled open one of those huge bandaids meant for knees. He softly placed it over the wound before picking up some of the bandages to wrap around. 

“So you think he was like their human pet like we are now, until they decided to change him?” Changkyun asked, starting to wonder if Wonho would ever do that. He didn’t want to think about a future, especially when he felt like he could die at any moment. But he couldn’t stop thinking about how Wonho would never grow any older. If this became more than just a fling… He’d just lose Changkyun to time. 

“Maybe. Seeing his relationship with Byung Joo, I started to think maybe he chose this.” He said, finishing the bandage and leaning back. “Does that feel any better?” He asked, smiling again. Changkyun nodded his head, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“Yeah, thank you.” Changkyun leaned into the couch, trying to picture the waiter him and Wonho had that day. 

 

When Jooheon came back that night Hojoon was asleep on the couch. He didn’t sleep at all the night before out of fear, waking up the second Changkyun had left the room with Jooheon. There was arguing voices outside the door, followed by a large bang that made Hojoon jolt right up., 

“What the fuck was that?” Hojoon asked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, and Changkyun stood up to get ready for whatever was behind that door. When it opened, someone tumbled in onto the floor. Changkyun felt his head getting dizzy from just the thought of fighting after so much blood loss, but he stood his ground regardless. Hojoon stood up and moved beside him. The guy who had hit the floor was Jooheon, and he didn’t look to happy about that.

“Don’t mess with me Xero! I’ll kill him, I swear it!” He snarled, getting back on his feet in seconds and backing up towards them. Changkyun pushed Hojoon behind his back, but Jooheon caught his hand and pushed him out of the way. He took Hojoon and held him against his chest, pulling his head back harshly to reveal his neck. The guy standing by the door was pretty tall, a little bit taller than Jooheon. He was in all black, eyes bright red, and incisors out already. 

“You wouldn’t dare, Hoseok and Shownu are on the way. You’re not getting out of this.” He said, Changkyun feeling his chest tighten at the sound of Wonho’s name. 

“Ji Ho, where’s everyone? Why did you come here alone?” Hojoon shouted, Jooheon grabbing around his throat and squeezing. He started to choke and Ji Ho, or Xero, rushed forward. Each step he took, Jooheon pressed down harder, so he stopped. Changkyun tried to pull at Jooheon arm, but he was too weak to do anything. 

“Jooheon stop! You don’t have to hurt him, hurt me!” Jooheon laughed at him, loosening the grip on the boy’s neck just a bit to look over at Changkyun. 

“Oh you’d like that, wouldn’t you? Little slut.” Xero took the opportunity to move forward as Changkyun punched Jooheon square in the face. It wouldn’t do much damage, but it would distract him. Xero got Hojoon behind him in seconds flat before he attacked Jooheon. All of his movements were swift and rough. Changkyun moved out of the way, taking Hojoon’s hand and running out of the open door. He didn’t look behind him to see the fighting, he just wanted to get away while he could. The knowledge of Wonho coming gave him hope that he wouldn’t be dragged right back, so his adrenaline kept him running. He heard glasses breaking behind him, but he kept on, turning around long enough to make sure Hojoon was still keeping up with him. The kid tried to point out something too late, and Changkyun collided into something hard. Arms grabbed his shoulders before he could fall, and when he looked up he saw someone he’d never seen before. 

“Please tell me you’re one of the good guys.” He said, backing away from the guy’s chest he’d just run into and grabbing onto Hojoon protectively. 

“That’s debatable.” He answered emotionlessly before running around them, heading straight towards Jooheon’s room. Changkyun and Hojoon looked at each other in confusion for a second before they started running again, coming to some stairs and making their way to the first floor. The second they reached fresh air outside Changkyun doubled over in pain, his adrenaline running out. He would have hit the floor if Hojoon hadn’t caught ahold of his waist to keep him upright. 

“Your buddy… isn’t so bad. Ji Ho? I’m guessing… he’s a good one.” Changkyun said between breaths, smiling up at Hojoon. Hojoon bit his lip nervously, but he nodded. 

“Still not used to the idea, but he did come to help me. Come on, let’s get as far away as we can.” He said, walking Changkyun down the sidewalk, his arm wrapped around his waist to keep him steady. 

“Kkukkung?” They both turned around at the voice, Changkyun not expecting to hear the old nickname. Wonho and Hyungwon were stood outside the doors of the apartment complex, about to run inside to find Jooheon. 

_I’m glad you’re safe, kid._

With that Hyungwon nodded at him before running into the building, leaving Wonho stood there smiling at him with tears in his eyes. 

“Hyung.” Changkyun breathed, a smile forming on his face as he moved towards him, struggling a bit. Wonho rushed forward, catching him in his arms before he could fall. “Thank God.” He said, hiding his face in his neck. Tears filled his eyes as Wonho held on tight, arms wrapped around him protectively. 

“I’m sorry.” He said, voice muffled against Changkyun’s shoulder. He pulled back enough to look at Changkyun, eyes red with tears as he reached up a hand to his lips. He hovered over the cuts, anger in his eyes. 

“You’re going to be okay. We’re going to patch you up. You’ll be okay. I’m so sorry, I don’t know how I can say those words enough to show just how sorry I am. I promise I’ll get stronger to take care of you.” He rambled, reaching his hands back around Changkyun to bring him into his chest. “We have to go, now, Minhyuk is waiting at home. Your friend can come too.” Wonho lifted him up in his arms, being careful not to hurt him. Changkyun put his arms around his neck loosely to hold on as Wonho started walking towards Min’s car, Hojoon in tow. 

“You don’t have to apologize to me. None of this is your fault, I’m just glad you’re here.” Changkyun said, not wanting to let go of Wonho even as he lowered him into the car. 

“Still… I won’t let him touch you again. I swear it.”

 

The serious look in Wonho’s eyes almost scared Changkyun. He started to worry about how he would react when he found out what Jooheon did to him. 

What Changkyun did _with_ him. 


	6. Cheers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (some angsty filler)

   Wonho was cautious around him. He tried to give him some space when they made their way back to the apartment after dropping Hojoon off at his place. He hadn’t spoken the entire car ride, except to say goodbye to Hojoon. He looked really bad, the sight made Wonho want to chase after Jooheon himself and kill him. But Shownu was home now, and Jooheon was his possession, he couldn’t do anything about it. 

Changkyun had walked into the guest room the second they got there, and he hasn’t been out since. Wonho stayed on the couch for awhile, waiting, but it didn’t seem like he was going to make an appearance. He flipped through the television to keep himself distracted, Hyungwon groaning each time he changed the channel away from something he was interested in. He checked his phone, checked his watch, checked the closed door of the guest room, almost every minute. Hyungwon couldn’t stand it anymore. 

“You have to give him some time-“

“But he’s afraid, he needs help, we need to at least patch him up-“

“He’s a strong kid, I’m sure he can handle himself. If he needs help, he’ll ask. He’s here, and he's safe, that’s what matters.” Hyungwon leaned back into the couch and crossed his arms as Wonho stood up and started pacing in front of him. 

“But-“

“No.”

“But what if-“

“Nope.”

Wonho sat back down on the couch in a huff, laying his head on Hyungwon’s shoulder. He left it on the channel that was playing some foreign American film that Hyungwon wanted to watch and shut his eyes. He wanted Min to come back home, he was could at being the comforting type. 

_“_ If you’re going to be a dick, you don’t get to use my shoulder as a pillow.” Hyungwon muttered. 

“Maybe you should stay out of my mind, thoughts are supposed to be private.” Wonho said, but Hyungwon pushed him off anyway. No level of sucking up was going to help him. As if on queue, the door of their apartment opened. They both turned to look and see Minhyuk, but something wasn’t right. His eyes were bright red and he looked furious, incisors out as he stared over their heads at the door of the guest room where Changkyun was. Hyungwon must have looked into his mind, because he stood up right away and rushed over to him. 

“No no no no, this isn’t his fault. Min, calm down. Please.” He pushed past Hyungwon and walked towards the guest room door, but Wonho stood up to block the way. He didn’t know what was getting into him, he’s never seen him like this before. Although he seemed furious, there were tears streaking down his cheeks. Wonho noticed he had a black eye and moved forward carefully to see if he could help, but Min pushed him away. 

“Get out of my way! I don’t want that slut in my house!” The door of the guest room opened and Wonho turned around to see Changkyun half hidden behind the door frame. Wonho moved towards Minhyuk again as Hyungwon grabbed onto his back, holding his arms so he couldn't get loose. He was staring at Changkyun like he wanted to kill him, and Wonho felt his own eyes flashing red at the thought of having to fight. 

“What are you talking about? You’ve lost it-“

“You don’t know, do you?” Min asked with a cold laugh. The way he was acting scared Wonho, and he’d never been afraid of Minhyuk for as long as he’d known him. 

“Min, I’m so sorry, I didn’t want to. Please… don’t do this now.” Changkyun spoke up from behind Wonho, and he noticed tears in his eyes as well. Wonho looked back and forth between the two of them, trying to comprehend what was happening.Min couldn’t be mad at Changkyun for being used as a blood bag… there had to be something else. His heart started to sink in his chest when he thought about it more. 

“Don’t do what? What don’t I know?”

“Wonho, not now-“

“Hyung, I-“

“He fucked him, Hoseok. He _fucked_ him!” Min yelled, tears rolling down his face. Wonho just stared at him in disbelief, the whole room becoming uncomfortably silent. Minhyuk stopped trying to go after Changkyun, his eyes fading back to their normal color as he turned around in Hyungwon’s arms and sobbed. Hyungwon must have been inside his head, he used to use that to calm Wonho down when he was a newborn vamp. Wonho just stood there motionless, not knowing what to think, or what to say. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around to see Changkyun looking up at him. 

“I had to. I had no choice, hyung… He was going to hurt Hojoon, I had to-“ Wonho let it sink in, still unable to say anything, although he wanted more than anything for Changkyun to feel better. So that was why the wounds were so much worse… that was why he apologized when Wonho found him, why he stayed away. If he had his reasons, Wonho couldn’t blame him. It hurt, but the only thing that made him angry was the fact that Jooheon put him in this position in the first place. 

_Hoseok… I’ll take Changkyun with me. He wants to stay with that kid from earlier. Jooheon is in Shownu’s hands, so we’ll be safe._

_“_ Minhyuk hyung… I’m so sorry, I didn’t want to. I promise you, I didn’t want to. I’ve felt sick with guilt ever since.” He looked back at Wonho, hand lowered from his shoulder to hold onto his hand. His hand was shaking, and it made Wonho upset that he was this anxious about it. He didn’t have to explain himself. “I like you, hyung. Don’t let this…” He cut off, letting go of Wonho’s hand and looking away.

_Say something before you lose him, Wonho. He needs you the most right now._

“It’s okay.” Wonho said, his voice more quiet than he intended. “It’s okay. He… took you, he used you, and if you…It was to help someone else. The blame is not on you. You’ve done nothing wrong. You stayed alive.” Wonho felt himself choking up on the last sentence, and walked forward to hold onto Changkyun’s shoulders.

“Look at me.” He whispered, Changkyun’s gaze slowly traveling back to his. “I’m not upset.” Wonho leaned forward and kissed Changkyun’s forehead, but Changkyun pulled away from him. 

“Changkyun, you and me need to go. I think it will be best if you don’t stay here for a few nights.” Hyungwon said calmly. He let go of Min when he was sure he wouldn't still try to attack Changkyun, and walked towards them. Wonho tried to reach out for Changkyun’s hand again, but the kid lowered his eyes and moved towards Hyungwon. 

_He asked for me… I’m sorry, maybe it’s too hard for him right now._

Wonho tried not to be upset at the words in his head, but he couldn’t help it. Hyungwon maneuvered Changkyun back into the room to grab some of his belongings before they left, leaving Wonho alone with Minhyuk. He turned around to find Min on the floor, knees pulled up to his chest and face hidden. He bent down in front of him and put his hands on his knees.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know how to help.” He didn’t know how to help anyone right now. 

“I… I still love him, Hoseok.” Min said, words butchered with sobs. Wonho grabbed ahold of his arms and helped him back up, pulling him into a hug once he was standing. 

“I know. I’m sorry.” He said, holding on tight as Min cried against his chest. He looked over Min’s shoulder to watch Hyungwon walking towards the door with Changkyun in tow. Changkyun looked back at him, and Wonho tried to smile, but he didn’t feel like it helped any. 

_Tell him I’m sorry ... it doesn't change anything, it doesn’t change how I feel about him._

Hyungwon nodded at him before leaving, Changkyun following him out the door without a second glance. Once they were gone Min pulled away, looking at Wonho.

“I know I shouldn’t be blaming him… it just makes it easier I guess. Can I… can I be alone tonight?” He asked, stepping back and biting his lip so he wouldn’t start crying again. 

“Yeah. If that’s what you think is best. But Min… I’m here if you need me. If I go out tonight, call me and I’ll come right back for you. You don’t have to handle this alone.” Wonho said, Min’s expression pained when he tried to smile for him. 

“I will.” With that he walked to his room, closing the door behind him and leaving Wonho completely alone. He didn’t like the silence, it made him think too much. He sat down on the couch, the television still playing a movie he cared nothing for. He felt too antsy to stay in one place. He wanted to be with Changkyun, he wanted to make sure he was alright. Now that the initial shock was over, images of the two of them together kept filling his head, and he couldn’t help but feel slightly jealous. Every time he felt a pang of jealously, he grew more angry with himself. Changkyun didn’t want this. It wasn’t right for him to feel jealous towards this situation. They had only been on a few dates anyway, Wonho didn’t even know if he could call what they had serious yet or not. Not that it mattered. 

He couldn’t take the silence anymore. He turned the television off and grabbed his jacket, telling Min he was heading out before leaving the apartment. He walked down to Joo’s and made his way to the back, knocking on the office door until someone finally answered it. They were about to close, but there was someone here he wanted to see. The small boy poked his head through the cracked door, smiling when he saw it was Wonho. 

“Oh, I was worried it was someone else.” Minsung opened the door all the way and cocked his head to the side in confusion. “Is everything okay, Hoseok-ah?” Wonho looked around him to see if anyone else was in the office, but it was empty. Minsung must be on lock up tonight. He was already changed out of his work clothes, wearing that old multicolored cardigan that matched nothing he owned.

“Uh, yeah everything is fine. Do you want to get a few drinks with me? I could use the company.” Wonho shifted from one foot to another, still feeling a little bad about how things ended with Minsung about a year ago. He didn’t want the boy to think he didn’t stay with him because he found out he was asexual, he didn’t care about sex that much. He didn’t stay because he was falling for Changkyun the second they started working together. But how do you explain that you’re falling for the guy you pick up off the street and patch up after your friend tears him apart every other night? At the time he couldn’t even explain it to himself. 

“Of course. I can tell you’re lying right now, so you’re going to spill what’s wrong after a few drinks.” Minsung said, pulling on a beanie over his brown hair and walking past him. Wonho sighed and followed as he threw his apron behind the counter and locked up the register. 

They walked to the bar down the street that they used to go to when they first met. Wonho hadn’t been to a bar in awhile, seeing as how he couldn’t get drunk without blood, but the bartender was a vamp so he didn’t worry about bringing a few blood bags to sneak some into his drinks. Not only that, but the bartender was a really close friend of his, one he hadn’t seen in a while. 

When they walked in, only one vamp was at the bar. The building itself was hidden in an alley, a lot of humans passed it without even realizing they had. It was mostly vamps who showed up there. That’s where he met Minsung surprisingly, not at Joo’s. Shownu was behind the bar, and he nodded to them as they came in. 

“He’s back?” Minsung whispered to Wonho, moving so that he was slightly behind him. A lot of them were scared of Shownu, but Wonho has known him long enough to not be. 

“Yeah, he just got home tonight.” Wonho said, grabbing Minsung’s arm reassuringly and guiding him to the bar. Kihyun was sitting a few seats over, a bunch of empty glassed in front of him. If he wasn’t already undead, Wonho would have said he looked like death itself.

“Jooheon in the back?” Wonho asked emotionlessly. Shownu nodded, pouring him a drink without having to ask what he wanted. He opened up a blood bag behind the counter and mixed some in, Wonho quirking his eyebrows at him.

“Ah hyung… so you’ve found out the trick.” He said with a smile, picking up the glass. Minsung looked between both of them in confusion, he always looked like a puppy no matter what he was doing. “It makes us drunk quicker if we add this in, fun fact.” Wonho explained, Minsung nodding at him. 

“Well if that is true, can I have a Sex on the Beach with a topping of blood please.” Minsung said, smiling at Shownu. Anyone who hadn’t met Minsung before would probably think he was flirting with them, but it was just his natural aura.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Wonho said, laughing as he took a sip of his drink. It was an Old-Fashioned, the blood definitely made it taste better. Minsung just shrugged, laughing when Shownu went as far as to put a little umbrella in his drink. 

“So… what’s up with you guys? Hyunwoo is back, Kihyun is about passed out, Jooheon is in the back, and I know something is up with you Wonho. Plus… Jooheon recently butt into my life as well, so don’t hold back.” Minsung said, his kind eyes suddenly turning dark. Shownu gave him a stern look and he waved his hands in front of his face. “No no, don’t get me wrong I am in no position to fight as a newborn vamp. He hurt my friend though… I just want to know why.” He defended, Wonho reaching out to squeeze his shoulder reassuringly. 

“You’re okay, I won’t let this big teddy bear do anything to you. Unless you cross him, he’s harmless.” Wonho said, leaving Shownu to roll his eyes and walk over to check on Kihyun. “By the way, hyung, why were you gone so long?” Wonho asked cautiously, Minsung widening his eyes at him like he had just given himself a death sentence. 

“Not a story for tonight.” Shownu said softly, leaning down and pushing the hair out of Kihyun’s eyes. Kihyun stirred at the touch, lifting his head and smiling at Shownu. 

“You’re back.”

“Yes, Kihyunie, for the twentieth time tonight, I am back. I’m also cutting you off for tonight.” He said, a smile actually visible on his face. Minsung poked Wonho’s side and whispered in his ear like a schoolboy.

“That’s rare. A smile-“

“I heard that.” Shownu didn’t even look at them when he said it, and Minsung went back to sipping on his drink silently. “Hoseok , I might need to have you watch over the bar if you want to stay longer. I need to get Kihyun back home. Oh, and I’m not leaving Jooheon here with you, I don’t want anymore bloodshed in this family.” Wonho wondered where Shownu was even keeping him. Was he tied up in his office or something? As long as he has known the guy, Shownu was still a very mysterious person.

“Sure thing, hyung. We’re probably just going to have a few drinks and talk some. Do you mind if I put the closed sign-?”

“Go ahead, I don’t trust you with manning the register.” Shownu interrupted, walking around the bar and moving towards Wonho. He sat on the barstool next to him, reaching out to put a hand on his shoulder.“Before he got wasted, Kihyun filled me in on what has been going on. I want to say it is not a good idea to be with a human, but I would be a hypocrite. Just be careful, unlike Kihyun I do not think the boy should die. Jooheon was wrong in what he did, and although I said no more blood should be shed, if you want to… I don’t know, throw a punch in his direction, I wouldn’t oppose. The boy needs some sense knocked into him after what he has put Min through.” Wonho just stared at Shownu in disbelief, not seeing this coming at all. He tried to see if he was joking, but Shownu’s expression was dead serious.

“I think you should do it.” Minsung said, nudging him in the shoulder. “I don’t know why yet, but I’m assuming it could help.” Wonho nodded, standing up from the barstool to follow Shownu back to his office. Part of him didn’t even want to see Jooheon in fear that he wouldn’t be able to hold back, but that was what Hyunwoo was for. 

When Shownu opened the door, Jooheon wasn’t even tied up. He was just sat in Shownu’s chair, head resting on the desk, and looking a little more pale than usual. Wonho gave Shownu a questioning look as he walked in. 

“I might have injected him with a large amount of delphinium. He’ll be fine in a few days. Maybe.” Shownu said, shrugging his shoulders as Wonho stared at him. 

“You injected him with the flower that can fucking kill us?” Now _this_ , he wasn’t expecting. Shownu and Jooheon have always been really close, Shownu being the one who turned him (which always pissed Kihyun off) so this was out of character to say the least. 

“Yeah, he was being a brat. Go ahead.” Shownu said, nodding towards Jooheon. Wonho looked back at the vampire he used to call his brother, unable to recognize the man he was now. Whenever he saw him all he could think about were the cuts on Changkyun’s chest, the way he shook when anyone got too close to his neck, the bite marks on every inch of skin, the bruises on his hips… Jooheon stood up when he saw him, walking towards him with the help of the desk. He looked damn near dead. Wonho didn’t pity him. 

“What are you waiting for, Wonho? Don’t you want to fuck me up? Or… do you want me to tell you first how he squirmed beneath me? How he got on his knees for me-“

“Stop.” Wonho hissed, walking forward a few steps.

“-how he tasted, how he moaned my name, how he asked for more-“

“STOP IT!” He rushed forward and knocked Jooheon straight in the jaw, tears filling his eyes out of anger. “Don’t you ever, _ever_ , touch him again, you bastard!” He threw another punch before Jooheon could stand straight again. Shownu didn’t stop him, so he kept going, throwing punch after punch while Jooheon was weak before him.

“He was such a good boy for me, Hoseok.” Jooheon was practically on his knees at this point, Wonho keeping him up by his hold on his jacket. “Fucked him into the wall, boy does that kid scream-“ 

“ _Quiet_! Do you know what this is doing to Min? Do you even _care_?!” Wonho kneed him in the chin, Jooheon falling back into the front of the desk. He spit some blood and looked up at him, shaking his head with a smirk. 

“I never cared for him.” He said, face completely void of emotion. The words even made Shownu move forward as if he were about to join in. 

“I will _kill_ you!” The next punch knocked Jooheon out, and Wonho was left with bloody fists and an old friend at his feet. He felt Shownu’s hand on his shoulder and turned around, hiding his face in Shownu’s chest and crying. He wished there was something redeemable in Jooheon for Min’s sake, but as of now he couldn’t see it. Shownu wrapped his arms around him, resting his head on Wonho’s shoulder wordlessly. They stayed there like that for a while until Wonho had calmed down.

 

Shownu carried Jooheon out to his car first before he came back for Kihyun. Minsung apparently heard most of what went down, because he had already made himself another drink and was giving Wonho a sympathetic look. Wonho sat down at the bar beside him, Minsung reaching out to wrap an arm around his shoulder comfortingly. 

“I’m sorry that all of this happened in my absence. But I stand behind what I said, that is the last blood to be shed within our family. I will deal with Jooheon now.” Shownu said, helping Kihyun stand up. He was beginning to sober up a bit, and he attached himself to Shownu’s side the second he was on his feet again. Wonho liked seeing them together again, that was one of the only good things to come out of this night. 

“I want to go to bed.” Kihyun muttered, closing his eyes against Shownu’s chest. Shownu laughed, nodding goodnight to Wonho and Minsung before leaning down to kiss Kihyun on the forehead.

“We’re going now.”

“Good… I don’t want to sleep alone anymore.” Wonho frowned at the half-drunken statement, but no one commented on it as they left the bar. Wonho sighed, turning back around and staring into his glass. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Minsung asked quietly, reaching out to wipe Wonho’s hand with a napkin. He didn’t remember how many times he hit Jooheon, but it was enough to make him bleed. 

“Kind of.” He breathed, using the hand that was already cleaned off to pick up his drink and down the rest of it. “But I also want to get drunk.” He went to pour himself another drink, but Minsung did it for him. 

“Let it out.” Minsung said, smiling in an attempt to lighten up the mood.

“I like this human. I _really_ like this human.” Wonho said, taking another gulp of his drink when Minsung handed it to him. “But for a year of not understanding my feelings, I was Jooheon’s clean-up boy while he toyed with him. We couldn’t risk our family getting found out, and we couldn’t stop Jooheon, so I just picked this boy up off the streets whenever Jooheon went too far.” Minsung took a sip of his own drink, nodding his head as he listened. 

“He’s the one you met at Travelers. The one you brought back to Joo’s recently.” He said, Wonho suddenly feeling guilty again.

“I’m sorry for how I left things with you. This guy kind of sprung himself into my life and-“

“Hey, don’t be. Bjoo and I are very happy. Honestly I should thank you for pushing me in his direction.” Wonho suddenly felt relieved when he saw Minsung blush at the mention of Bjoo’s name. “So tell me more about what happened with this human you _really_ like.” He said with a smirk, nudging Wonho as he took another sip of his drink. 

“Well. He’s beautiful. He’s kind, he takes care of others before himself, he never gives up, he has these brown eyes… _God_ they make me weak. He’s awkward, and will cover up his clumsiness with a joke. He knows how to make people laugh, even when he’s sad. He has one of the brightest smiles I’ve seen, and he looks so cute in oversized clothing. Whenever he’s too close, I feel human again, as if my heart is actually beating at the rate it is supposed to. Holding his hand makes me nervous, but in a good way, and kissing him… I almost can’t handle it. His voice is so low, I could fall asleep to it, and I don’t even have to sleep anymore as a vamp. When I’m with him, I don’t even think about blood. The smell of his doesn’t bother me, I just want to protect him.” Wonho smiled, looking down at the counter before he took another swig of his drink. He’d never said these words out loud before, but he hadn’t realized just how much he meant them until now. “And yet, I let him get hurt, time and time again, because of this guy who used to be my friend. I convinced myself that I didn't understand my feelings for him yet, but I should-“

“You love him, Hoseok-ah.” Minsung cut in, “From the explanation you just gave me, you’re at _least_ falling in love with him. And you can blame yourself all you want for not being strong enough to stand up to Jooheon throughout that year, but you can’t change the past. Right now is all that matters.” Wonho bit his lip, downing the rest of his drink again to Minsung’s surprise. He was starting to feel the affects of the alcohol, and this time went for something even harder. He poured himself a glass of straight whiskey, mixing some of the blood bag he brought along into it. Did he love him? That would be crazy… he’s only been on a few dates they weren't even serious. But his feelings had been growing that entire year… maybe he did start falling early.

“If you’re right, and I do love him, that is just going to make this next part even harder.” Wonho said, chugging some of the whiskey. Minsung reached out for his hand to stop him from drinking too much.

“Hey, slow down, we have a whole bar.” He said, smirking although his eyes were full of concern. He was great at keeping a calm and lively mood, even in the worst situations. 

“You must have heard Jooheon earlier. I was with Changkyun one night and Jooheon showed up. He stole him from me, I wasn’t strong enough to fight him and win. He kept him for almost over a week… Barely feeding him, taking blood when he wanted, toying with him.” Wonho’s voice broke, and he coughed to distract from it, even though Minsung could see through him. “I don’t know exactly what happened, but I do know that your friend Hojoon was involved. Changkyun was protecting him from Jooheon… and he-“

“I know, I heard. It didn’t mean anything. He did what Jooheon wanted. Like you said before, he cares for others before himself.” Minsung answered. He was right, and Wonho knew he was right, it didn’t help the fact that he felt like this. He couldn’t imagine what Changkyun felt like, how hurt he was. Thinking of it made Wonho feel even worse. 

“I know. But he thinks I’m upset. He didn’t want to leave with me today, he wanted Hyungwon. And now he has to deal with the guilt laid on by Minhyuk, who is just lashing out because Jooheon broke his heart and he wants someone else to blame. I don’t know what to do.” Wonho finished, holding back tears to the best of his ability as he lifted his drink back up to his lips. 

“All you can do right now is wait. I promise you, things will turn out alright in the end.”

 

They stayed there for a few hours, and by that time Wonho had more than his fair share of drinks. He tried to stand up from the barstool and fell on Minsung, the smaller boy struggling to keep him up. 

“I told you to slow down.” Minsung whined, putting Wonho’s arm over his shoulder and leaving some cash behind the bar before he walked him towards the door. “Are you still living in the same place?” Wonho hummed in reply, Minsung groaning at him as he opened the door with one hand, making sure to lock it before it shut. 

They walked down the street, most of Wonho’s weight on Minsung. He was glad his apartment was only a block away. 

By the time they made it to the apartment it was almost four in the morning. Minsung dropped Wonho down in his bed and situated the blankets around him. He didn’t deserve a friend like Minsung. Hell, he didn’t deserve anyone. 

“Aren’t you still a little drunk? You can stay.” Wonho slurred, reaching out for Minsung’s hand. The boy laughed at him, pulling his hand away and tapping Wonho on the forehead. 

“Lee Hoseok, you better not be trying to hit on me-“

“No no no no… I’m just worried. We have a couch, a guest room, and Hyungwon is out too.” Minsung just shook his head at him, poking his nose before walking towards the door.

“I have someone to get home to. If you need me for anything, just call.” His voice sounded like an echo as Wonho felt himself falling asleep. 

 

He didn’t even remember Minsung leaving, he was out in minutes. 


	7. A Blessing and a Curse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because of all this angst, there is some tooth-rooting fluff at the end... ;)

   Changkyun woke up in yet another bed that wasn’t his own. The second his eyes opened he jolted upright, moving towards the headboard and looking around at his surroundings like a soldier on a battlefield. Hyungwon was asleep in the chair next to the bed, and he stirred awake with Changkyun’s sudden movement. Changkyun hadn’t noticed his breathing getting rapid until Hyungwon was sat in front of him trying to get him to calm down. 

“Shhh, you’re okay. Take a deep breath.” He tried to breathe with Hyungwon, and was finally able to calm down and remember how he’d gotten there. It was Ji Ho and Hojoon’s apartment. Hyungwon was friends with Ji Ho, and when he explained the situation he was more than willing to let them stay the night. The enemy of your enemy is your friend. Plus, Hojoon was happy to be around Changkyun again in a setting that was not life or death. Changkyun had told Hyungwon everything last night, knowing he would find out eventually from reading his mind. He wanted to be the one to tell him. 

_Calm down, calm down. You’re okay, you’re alright, I won’t let anything happen to you._

The words repeated over and over again in his head, and with them a feeling that Changkyun couldn’t quite place. 

“Sorry. I’m okay, just not used to some things.” Changkyun said, leaning forward against Hyungwon’s shoulder. There was something about the calming words in his head, it made him feel safe. Hyungwon’s whole aura made him feel at peace, and he was starting to wonder what else he could do with the mind. 

“It’s a calming tactic. I used to use it on Wonho when he was upset. Tricks your mind into thinking you’re okay.” He said, Changkyun sitting back up and cocking his head to the side. 

“I’m never going to get used to this.” He said, getting off the bed and reaching for his turtleneck in his overnight bag. He took the rest of the clothes with him into the bathroom, finally changing out of the bloodstained hoodie Wonho let him borrow. He didn’t know how he felt about it, it was a comfort to him while he was at Jooheon’s… but now it just reminded him of the guilt.

He took a quick shower, flinching every time the water hit a sensitive spot. He refused to look in the mirror when he was finished, instead keeping his eyes on the door as he pulled on his pants and turtleneck. The second his eye caught part of his reflection his mind took him back to Jooheon’s bathroom that night, flashes of Jooheon pushing him up against the wall filling his head. He reached up to feel his neck, shaking with the vivid memory of Jooheon’s teeth sinking in deep as he locked him against the wall with his hips. Changkyun could still feel the cheap wood of the apartment wall up against his cheek and Jooheon’s hand in his hair, yanking his head back as he-

Changkyun didn’t even realize he had screamed until he came back to reality, blinking at the harsh bathroom lighting as Hyungwon held onto his shoulders and shook him gently. 

“Hey! Come back. You’re not there, Kyun.” Hyungwon said, Changkyun shaking his head as the flashes left his mind. He still had the turtleneck halfway over his body, Hyungwon pulling it the rest of the way down and stepping back a few feet to give him some space. He picked up Changkyun’s black hoodie from the floor and handed it to him cautiously.

“I’m… I’m sorry, I just-“

“It’s normal. Don’t worry about it.” Hyungwon cut him off as Changkyun took the hoodie from him and pulled it over his head. With every movement, the cuts and bites that covered him stung. He tried to fake a smile at Hyungwon, bowing to him in thanks as he moved out of the bathroom so that he wouldn’t see the mirror again. 

Hojoon was already out for the day, Ji Ho told them he didn’t want to let what happened get in the way of earning money. Changkyun envied that, but he had dealt with Jooheon too long to risk being any less cautious. 

He sat down on the couch in their living room, pulling his knees to his chest as Ji Ho talked with Hyungwon in the kitchen. He wanted to see Wonho, but he also wanted to be as far from him as possible. Just looking at him made him feel guilty, and he didn’t know how to help that. It didn’t make it better that scenes of what Jooheon did to him kept flashing in his mind. 

“Changkyun! I heard you were at my bro’s place.” Changkyun was dragged out of his thoughts by Bjoo, who was standing right inside the door. He kept his hands around his knees, unsure whether this vamp could really be trusted yet or not. Wonho liked him, but Wonho used to like Jooheon too. Minhyuk was one of the good ones, but he still wanted to tear Changkyun’s throat out if he got the chance. Bjoo didn’t seem threatening though, he skipped over to the couch and sat beside him, leaning his head against the backrest and staring at Chang.

“Hoseok has good taste.” Bjoo said, laughing when Changkyun gave him a confused look. Bjoo’s voice caught Ji Ho’s attention, and he walked into the living room to throw a blood bag at him. Changkyun moved further away, the smell of blood way too familiar at this point. 

“Sorry, Chang. Bjoo has the worst eating habits, I have to remind him to before he tries to go back to drinking from Minsung. Now that the kid is a vamp, this sap has to learn how to eat take-out again.” Ji Ho complained, sitting in the love seat across from them and glaring at Bjoo as he toyed with the bag in his hands. 

“But Minsung said I still-“

“Vamp blood does not give you enough nutrients. You two can get up to your weird shit whenever you feel like it, but you also need these.” Changkyun looked back and forth between the two of them, Bjoo pouting like a kicked puppy dog. So Minsung hadn’t been a vamp very long… he wondered if he was a vamp when Wonho dated him. 

_How do you know that?_

Changkyun looked up to see Hyungwon taking a seat next to Ji Ho, raising his eyebrows at him curiously. 

_Hojoon told me._

_Jealous?_

_Of course not._

_You’re lying._

“Hello, back to reality!” Changkyun looked away from Hyungwon’s sharp gaze and back at Bjoo, who smiled extremely large when he did so. “Why don’t you share with the class? In-mind convos aren’t cool, man.” He said, Changkyun beginning to turn red. 

“He’s just kidding, you’re fine Changkyun.” Ji Ho said, looking already exhausted with Bjoo’s existence.

_By the way, Minsung was already a vamp when Wonho met him. He had been Bjoo’s… something or another. They had a fight, and he still hadn't figured out his feelings, so him and Wonho went out for like a week before he went running back to Bjoo. Just like Wonho came running to you. Disgusting._

Changkyun blushed even deeper at the words in his head, trying not to let Bjoo notice that Hyungwon was still talking to him there. 

“Does Wonho drink from you?” Bjoo asked suddenly, taking a few sips of the blood bag. Only thoughts of Jooheon passed through his head at the words, and he tried not to make it show that he was affected by it. He looked at Hyungwon, unable to come up with words as he remembered the feeling of Jooheon’s teeth biting into every possible inch of skin on his body that night. 

“I think I… I need some air.” Changkyun said, standing up from the couch and striding towards the door. He felt like he could throw up again at just the thought of that night. He was glad no one followed him, overhearing the argument between Ji Ho and Bjoo about bedside manners right before he closed the door behind him. He put his hood up, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he walked down the street. He didn’t know where he wanted to go, he just knew he couldn’t keep sitting there doing nothing just to let the thoughts eat him alive. 

Every muscle in his body ached, but at least he was able to stay on two feet now that he had enough food and water in him. He walked to the nearest pharmacy, knowing good and well Ji Ho and Hojoon didn’t have many supplies left, and his bandages were starting to fall off again. He picked up what he could afford, the cashier giving him a weird look when he went to pay. 

“My daughter… She’s very clumsy, I’ve been teaching her how to ride a bike.” Changkyun lied, faking a laugh as the cashier bagged his stuff. 

“I see. Well take care of her well.” The older man said, smiling at him as Chang left the shop. He walked a little further, the plastic bag hitting against his thigh with each step. He kept going until he came across the old park he used to exercise at in the early mornings to get his mind off of what Jooheon did with him the night before. He sat down on the bench, opening the bottle of pain medicine he just got and downing a few pills. He didn’t know what to do at this point. He couldn’t go back home, he didn’t trust it. He couldn’t go back to Wonho’s, everything was complicated there. He didn’t want to intrude on Hojoon and Ji Ho too long… He didn’t have anywhere else. As much as he has put himself in the line of fire so that Jooheon wouldn’t go after his family, they didn’t talk to him anymore. Not since he moved to Seoul. Not since his father’s death.

“It’s not safe to be out alone.” The voice made him jump, the bag falling and spilling on the sidewalk as he turned to face the same mysterious man he ran into the night Wonho found him. 

“You should be more careful, I didn’t mean to frighten you.” The guy said with a laugh, bending down to pick up Changkyun’s things and put them back in the bag, handing it to him. He took it cautiously, not knowing whether he could trust the guy or not. He hadn’t even noticed his hands were shaking until the guy pointed it out, sitting down on the bench next to him. 

“Are you okay?”

“I know you’re not human.” Changkyun whispered, scooting over so that he had an easy escape if he needed to. The guy shrugged his shoulders, a smile finding its way back onto his face. 

“You got me.” He said, Changkyun confused by his lightheartedness. “Oh and by the way, Hyungwon said to tell you I’m not scary. His exact words were ‘show him that you’re actually a teddy bear’, but I don’t know how I could do that.” He said with a laugh, Changkyun finally relaxing now that he knew Hyungwon sent him. Of fucking course he did, because there was no way Changkyun could go anywhere without a leash. 

“Who are you?” Chang asked, putting his bag down on the floor and wringing his hands together anxiously. 

“Son Hyunwoo. My boys just call me Shownu, it’s easier.” Everything finally started to click, and Changkyun still didn’t know whether to be afraid or not. Although, he was the one who put Jooheon in his place. 

“Oh. Nice to finally meet you… I’m Changkyun-“

“I know. I’ve heard a lot.” He said, Changkyun bit his lip nervously, trying his best to stay clear of the cuts that Jooheon left there. 

“Thank you for what you did.” He said quietly, bowing in his direction. Shownu just waved him away.

“Jooheon is my responsibility. All of them are, but he is the problematic one. And now you are also my responsibility. Speaking of, I think we should get you back to Ji Ho’s and patch you up before it gets too cold out here.” He said, moving to stand up.

“How am I your responsibility? I haven’t even met you until today.” Changkyun asked, grabbing his bag from the ground and standing up to follow him as he started down the sidewalk. 

“Because of Hoseok. At this point, he may care more for you than he does himself, which is often the case. If I take care of you, that is taking care of him. He cares very deeply for you.” Changkyun had never felt more guilty for what he’d done than he did then. 

 

When they got back to the apartment, Ji Ho greeted Shownu with a hug. Bjoo was gone now, and Hojoon was still at work. Changkyun glared at Hyungwon as he walked in, but he went to him to help with the bandages. Out of everyone, Wonho and Hyungwon were the two he trusted the most. 

“That’s so sweet.” Hyungwon said, putting his hand over his mouth as if he were about to cry. “I’m touched.” Changkyun punched him in the shoulder, making Hyungwon smile wider. He automatically regretted ever having a nice thought about him. 

“I just need a little help with some of these. Don’t make a big deal out of it.” He said, handing bandages and anti-bacterial cream to Hyungwon before taking his jacket off. Shownu and Ji Ho had stepped outside to talk about something they didn’t want Chang to hear apparently, because they couldn’t hide conversations from Hyungwon with just a door. 

“Actually… they can.” Hyungwon said, helping Changkyun pull off his turtleneck as well. “Shownu is the one who turned me. He’s more powerful, so he can block me out. The guy is like… over a thousand years old.” He said, Changkyun raising his eyebrows at him. 

“Wow, that must be nice. If we could block you out, I would have never been taken by Jooheon.” The sarcasm was thick in his voice, but Hyungwon didn’t laugh. Changkyun regretted it immediately, because the vamp actually looked sad. 

“I’m really sorry.” He said, looking back up as he took the old bandage off of Changkyun’s neck and started to clean the wound. Changkyun flinched, Hyungwon deciding to press down lighter. 

“It’s not your fault.” Changkyun whispered. Neither of them said anything for awhile. Hyungwon just carefully applied bandages and wraps to the worst sections of Changkyun’s chest, neck, and stomach. 

“If you have any lower… I’m going to leave that to you.” Hyungwon said, a little bit of humor back in his voice. Changkyun nodded, grabbing the bandages from him and making his way to the bathroom. He took a deep breath, keeping the door unlocked just incase, as his eyes fell on the mirror. He could pass for a half-assed mummy costume at this point. Where there weren’t white bandages, there were deep purple bruises. His face looked thinner than usual, muscle mass in his abdomen getting more faint by the day. The circles under his eyes were permanent, and dark enough that he just looked dead. He probably looked more dead than the actual vampires he was surrounded by.

He thought he saw Jooheon behind him in the mirror, and he turned around so quick he hit his hip into the sharp edge of the counter. He yelped out in pain, which caused a knock at the door. 

“You alright in there?” Hyungwon asked, Changkyun trying to get his breathing back to a normal pace now that he was sure his mind was messing with him and Jooheon wasn’t actually there. 

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just slipped.” Changkyun lied, realizing a second too late that Hyungwon was an undead lie detector. The door opened and Hyungwon shook his head, reaching out to grab onto Changkyun’s arm and pull him back out of the bathroom. 

“You can wait to patch those up. Maybe Wonho-“

“He won’t want to see me.” Changkyun interrupted, maneuvering out of Hyungwon’s grip. The taller vamp groaned at him, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

“Both of you say the same thing. Don’t you realize that maybe, just maybe, you’re both fucking wrong? Staying away isn’t going to help anything.” Hyungwon said, walking back into the kitchen and picking up his cellphone. Changkyun reacted too slowly, he was already dialing the number as he ran up to stop him. He jumped up on his toes to reach his arms around Hyungwon’s shoulders, trying to drag him down like a child while he called Wonho. 

“Hey. I’m with Shownu. He told me Min was coming with him for a few nights to try to talk things through with him and Kihyun, and maybe even Jooheon if he’s up to it. So is it good if the two of us come back tonight?” Hyungwon asked into the phone, Changkyun giving up and sliding off of him, groaning in irritation as he walked back into the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind him. He could do this, it was just a few more ugly looking wounds, he could handle being by himself. 

He went to pull his pants down and stopped halfway, already seeing the gruesome mark on his hipbone. He had no problem with it when he took showers, mainly because he ignored it. But the thought of facing Wonho tonight on top of how ugly his body was made it even more difficult. Whenever he focused too long on a bite, the feeling of Jooheon on him ghosted over his skin. His shut his eyes, pulling his jeans back up and sliding down the door until he was on the floor. There was another knock on the door, and he could feel himself losing it. 

“Go away, Hyungwon!” He shouted, his voice cracking in the progress. 

“It’s Hojoon. Are you alright, do you need something?” The voice came through the door. Changkyun breathed in slowly before standing back up and opening the door. Hojoon smiled at him, moving to the side to let him out. 

“Couldn’t do it again, could you?” Hyungwon snarked, phone back in his pocket. Changkyun flipped him off as he walked out to join him. 

“Couldn’t do what?” Hojoon asked, walking past him to sit up on the counter, his legs swinging nonchalantly. Changkyun envied him. It only happened to him once, Changkyun has been attacked for over a year. He hated that he envied that, because he was happy Hojoon was okay. He was glad he could help him, for what it was worth. 

“He was just trying to bandage everything below the belt. I personally don’t want to get that close to his belt, so I didn’t do it.” Changkyun rolled his eyes at him, he only had a few bites on his hips and inside his thighs. He couldn’t understand why being left alone and facing his own wounds made him so vulnerable to images of Jooheon. He shouldn’t be dealing with it this bad, he was used to Jooheon messing with him. Maybe it was the amount of time he was there, or what he had to do. Whatever it was, he didn’t want to seem so weak in front of Wonho. His heart suddenly tightened at the idea of seeing him tonight. He was afraid of how he would react. Wonho can say he doesn’t care, but Changkyun knows it bothers him. Even if that one thing doesn’t, Changkyun had all the wounds on his body as an ugly reminder to him. How could he look at that and still think beauty instead of betrayal?

“I’m sorry. Also, I apologize for Bjoo. Ji Ho texted me that he stopped by and asked you some things that were rather inappropriate for the given situation. He doesn’t have a filter, never has had one, but I promise he means well.” Hojoon said, pushing his glasses up his nose and reaching out to grab onto Changkyun’s shoulder comfortingly. His sweater was so long on him that his hand was completely hidden by the fabric, and Chang actually found it quite adorable. This kid may be the only pure one left in this fucked up group. “It’s not just the bandages, huh?” He asked, Hyungwon raising his eyebrows in surprise of how well this kid caught on.

“No. Hyungwon, I really don’t think he wants to see me-“ Hyungwon cut him off by grabbing his shoulders tightly and pulling him in front of him. 

“Listen. I understand. I know you feel guilty, I know you’ve been through a hell of a lot… But staying away? That isn’t going to help either of you. You might not realize it, but you need him right now a lot more than you would think. And I know my brother… when he loves he loves unconditionally, and I could already see that in him when it came to you. All he is doing right now is beating himself up.” Hyungwon’s face was more serious than Changkyun had ever seen him, and honestly it was a little frightening. Some of his words hit harder than others did. Wonho couldn’t be falling in love with him, that would be ridiculous. If anything it was a fling brought on by a year of sexual tension… he couldn’t possibly-

“If Wonho has flings, they last for one fucking night. Minsung was the longest relationship he had had in centuries, and that lasted a week without them even doing anything together. Hell, I’m pretty sure _I_ was the last person he was with, if that puts anything in perspective for you.” Hyungwon said, pulling away and turning his back to him. Changkyun stood there staring at his back, trying to comprehend what he was saying. He looked over to Hojoon, who just shrugged his shoulders. 

“Did you… Are you-?”

“If you’re trying to ask if I’m still stuck on Hoseok, the answer is no.” Hyungwon said, but his voice sounded different. Changkyun bit his lip, taking a step forward to place his hand on Hyungwon’s shoulder. 

“Okay. I’ll go.” He said, his anxiety spiking the second he said it. Every second since the first night Jooheon took him, he’s been on pins and needles waiting for everything to suddenly end. Even now that he was safe, he couldn’t sleep. Part of him really wanted to be with Wonho right now, even though he couldn’t be sure if Wonho would ever look at him the same.

“I’ll help you pack some things up.” Hojoon said brightly, jumping off the counter and making his way to the guest room. He caught Changkyun’s eye before walking in the room, nodding at Hyungwon. He was right, Changkyun couldn’t just leave the conversation like that. 

“Hyungwon hyung, are you alright?” Chang asked softly, grip tightening on Hyungwon’s shoulder. 

“I wish I would have taken my own advice before she left.” He said, the pronoun surprising Changkyun as Hyungwon finally turned back around. Changkyun dropped his hand and stared up at him at a loss. 

“She? So… not Wonho-“

“I told you it wasn’t him. If I really wanted, I could have had him for myself a long time ago. Go help Hojoon, we should get going.” Hyungwon said, about to push Changkyun towards the room until the door opened and Shownu and Ji Ho walked back inside. They both turned to look, Shownu raising his eyebrow at the sight of Hyungwon holding onto Changkyun by the neckline of his shirt. 

   "Let the boy decide for himself if he wants to go home, Hyungwon. You can't force-"

   "It's okay. We both need this." Changkyun said, automatically feeling a little worried about cutting Shownu off. The man did not look bothered though, he actually seemed happy by his decision.  Hyungwon let go of his shirt and smiled proudly between the two of them.  

   "Finally the boy is beginning to learn." Changkyun glared at him as Shownu walked towards them. The taller man reached to pat Hyungwon on the back, but it seemed a little harder than it should be, and Hyungwon was so thin he almost came tumbling forward. 

   "Before you start getting snarky about how you think people should deal with things like this, how about you give Seulgi-ya a call." That must be her name, Shownu definitely hit a soft spot, because Hyungwon's face dropped in an instant. Changkyun was starting to really like this guy. He seemed like a father figure to the odd group of vamps. It may be weird, but at least they had some kind of family. 

 

When they finally made it back to the apartment Changkyun didn’t want to walk inside. Hojoon stood beside him, helping hold his things against Changkyun’s wishes that he could do it himself. Hyungwon decided to give him time for himself, and walked in first, leaving the two of them on the sidewalk together. 

“My place is always open, you helped me more than enough, it’s the least I can do… But, from what I’ve been hearing, I think you should be with him.” Hojoon said, looking over at Changkyun with a smile. Changkyun nodded, knowing he was probably right, even though parts of him still worried. 

“Thank you. I’m sorry you got dragged into all of this. Hit me up whenever the my-friends-are-vampires thing gets too hard. It would be fun to hang out with a human again.” Changkyun said, smirking when he realized how weird that would have sounded to him just a year ago. 

“Of course. Now go on, no more time to stall.” Hojoon said, handing over Changkyun’s bag and pulling him into a hug. 

Changkyun waved goodbye as he took a deep breath and turned the doorknob, entering the apartment he had grown to know. No one was around. Hyungwon was most likely in his room, and maybe Wonho was in his. He breathed out a sigh, bringing his bag into the guest room before hesitating at the door. The last thing he wanted right now was to be completely alone, and something kept stopping him from unpacking in there. At least at Hojoon’s apartment he had Hyungwon with him. He never used to be the kind who needed company when he slept, even when Jooheon had first started messing with him. He hadn’t been the kind to get scared easily, but now these flashes were getting out of hand. He couldn’t tell the flashes apart from reality, and his nightmares were seeping into his daily life. Therefore, sleeping was not a fun activity. 

He turned around, staring at Wonho’s door, then cursing under his breath that he would be so stupid as to even _think_ about that. He did the same thing about three more times, looking back and forth from the guest room and where Wonho was. He kept thinking back on the last night he was in there, and what happened afterwards. If he had never left that room, he could have stayed safe. 

He walked over to the closed door to Wonho’s room against his better judgment. If he was going to be this indecisive, he might as well rip the bandaid off already. He lifted his hand to knock, then took it away. He began pacing in front of the door for a few minutes, trying to come up with scenarios of how Wonho would react in order to prepare himself. Would he be disgusted? Would he be hurt? Would he just be worried?

He sucked it up, not knowing would end up tearing him apart, so he knocked on the door. 

“Come in!” Wonho called through the door, probably thinking it was Hyungwon. Chang clutched his bag tightly in his fist as he opened the door, Wonho sitting up in surprise when he saw him. 

“I… Can I-?” He suddenly forget how his own language worked, muttering in english that Wonho wouldn’t understand. Wonho stood up from the bed, walking over to him concerned. He stayed back a few feet to see how Changkyun would react. Changkyun needed to say something, preferably in korean. 

“I don’t know what to say.” Well at least he was vocal about it, and it was in the right language. He dropped the bag at his feet and took a step towards Wonho, trying to search his face for a hint of what he was thinking. Wonho looked at a loss as well, his fingers digging into his sweatpants as if he were trying to hold back from hugging Changkyun. 

_He’s not mad. He’s afraid you don’t want to be touched._

Hyungwon was the actual definition of a blessing and a curse. Changkyun reached out and pulled Wonho’s hand away from his side, squeezing it reassuringly before pulling Wonho towards him. The boast of confidence came only from trying to make Wonho feel better, and he was relieved when he felt Wonho’s arms tighten around him instantly. Changkyun hid his face in his neck, closing his eyes as he tried to push down the guilt.

“You don’t have to say anything.” Wonho whispered, resting his chin on Changkyun’s shoulder as he pulled him even closer. His voice sounded different, like he was also unsure. Changkyun wanted to stay hidden against his chest forever and avoid all of the things that were fucked up currently, but he had to get it out in order to make them both feel better. He wasn’t losing Wonho, not yet at least. He pulled back first, his hand ghosting over Wonho’s before traveling back to his side. 

“I want to. I have to say something for myself, so I need you to listen.” He said, trying to keep up his confidence even as his voice wavered. Wonho looked concerned, but he just nodded to let him continue. “I don’t blame you for what happened to me. All that time I spent there, it has messed me up a bit, maybe more than a bit, but none of that is your fault. By the time he brought Hojoon home- to his place- and talked about what he was going to do with him, I had already started to catch on to his weakness towards me. He started taking care of me, making sure I was fed, carrying me when I couldn’t walk due to what he did to me… I realized he liked something about me, and that was all I could use to keep Hojoon safe. He would have torn into Hojoon that night, to leave a mess for Ji Ho just long enough before he killed the boy. If I couldn’t save myself, I wanted to save him. And…” Changkyun angrily wiped tears away, Wonho catching his hand in his. “And it hurt, worse than any other time he took blood from me. He was rough, with everything, and I felt disgusting the whole time. Hoseok, I saw a picture of Min and him together the next morning… I- I couldn’t handle-“ He couldn’t finish, tears filling his eyes as Wonho pulled him back into his chest, hand clutching the back of his head and bringing him in closer. He felt him kiss the top of his head, fingers gently playing through his hair in a soothing motion.

“I wish I knew how to help. I promise, more than anything, that you’ve done nothing wrong in my eyes. _Nothing_.” Wonho said, his voice softer than usual. “All you do is try to help people, you’ve done nothing but show how strong you are, Kyun.” Wonho pulled back, holding Changkyun’s face between his palms and making him look up at him. He looked so sincere, and his eyes were red from tears that wouldn’t fall. As much as Changkyun had been worried about seeing him, he had never felt safer than in this moment. Everything pushed its way down, and he concentrated on Wonho’s eyes, his comforting smile, the way his thumb rubbed across his cheek to wipe away tears. He was so gentle about every movement. Changkyun had gotten so used to the harsh way Jooheon treated him, he never imagined feeling this way again.

“What I was going to ask earlier-“ Changkyun began, biting his lip and trying to decide whether it was the right decision. “Can I… I mean, I haven’t been able to sleep, do you mind if I…?” He trailed off, looking down at his feet. Wonho let go of him and reached down to pick up his bag wordlessly, bringing it further into the room and dropping it next to his dresser.

“Make yourself at home. You can have my bed, I don’t need sleep. I understand if you don’t want- anyway, I get it. I’ve been there.” Wonho said, nodding to the bed. Changkyun made his way over hesitantly, moving to the side of it and pulling the covers back.

“I’m not kicking you out of your bed, you can join me.” He said caustically, sitting down and pulling the blanket over his legs. He was already tired even though it was only about nine at night. He hadn’t gotten much sleep at all the night before, or the week before that. Wonho sat down on the other side of the bed, eyes watching Changkyun curiously. 

“Hyungwon hasn’t left my mind. He keeps telling me you might get nightmares? Not like normal ones-“

“That fucking snitch.” Changkyun said, too tired to deal with him. “What else has he said, anything about bandages?” He asked, raising an eyebrow at Wonho. Wonho looked away, seeming a little embarrassed. “That’s a yes. That’s it, after I get some sleep in, that vamp is dead.” Changkyun said, trying to lighten the mood. He moved to lay down, but paused halfway. 

“Is Minhyuk… Is he okay?” He asked, bracing himself for what he knew he was going to hear. Wonho just frowned at him, shaking his head. He sunk down into the mattress, pulling the blanket over his shoulder as he waited anxiously for Wonho to answer. 

“He will be. I hope. Once you left, he apologized about lashing out at you. I don’t think he blames you… He wants to, because it means he doesn't have to blame the person he loves, and actually see the bad in him. He sees it now.” Wonho said, laying down and looking up at the ceiling with a sigh. “I wish this family wasn’t so fucked up. I wish I could have started things with you from the second I saw you in Travelers that day… I wish Jooheon never got to you.”Wonho’s eyes were still red, and Changkyun wanted none other than to make him happy again. 

“Me too.” He said, watching as Wonho pulled his hood over his head. The movement reminded him of the first day he hid in the room while Jooheon was out. He turned over, facing the other way and squeezing his eyes shut in an attempt to keep the memory from resurfacing. Every time he closed his eyes he saw red. Blood was everywhere… on him, on white sheets, on Jooheon’s lips, on the pillows…

“Wonho?” He asked, not turning his head to look at him. 

“Mhmm?” 

“Can you come here?” He asked, his mind trying to tell him it was a bad idea the entire time the words were leaving his mouth. It was silent for a few seconds and then he felt the blankets move. 

“Are you sure?” Wonho’s voice was close, breath against his neck. 

“I can’t get it out of my head.” Changkyun responded, hating that his voice was still wavering. Wonho’s arms moved around him as he curved himself against his back, holding on just tight enough that Changkyun began to feel a little safer. He had moved slightly lower so that his nose was pressed up against Changkyun’s upper back, so he wouldn’t be too close to his neck. The little things like that were what made Chang feel safe with him. Changkyun’s hand must have been shaking, because Wonho reached to intertwine their fingers. 

“I’m here.” Wonho whispered, Changkyun relaxing back against his chest. He had to distract himself from the awful images in his head, then maybe he would be able to actually fall asleep tonight. 

“Remember the first day you did this?” Changkyun asked, squeezing Wonho’s connected hand. “I was so flustered, I didn’t know how I’d gotten so lucky. And you did it so casually.” Chang said, Wonho squeezing his hand back. 

“I was the lucky one.” Wonho answered, Changkyun able to hear the smile in his voice. That alone was comforting. Wonho was quiet for a bit after that, and Changkyun was scared the images were going to come back. Before he could say anything about it, Wonho started humming quietly. It was a tune he knew, a song he would listen to on the way to work every morning when he was stressed. A song that always reminded him of Wonho… How did he-? Oh.

_Was that you?_

_Of course. That's what I'm here for._

This time Changkyun didn’t want to fight Hyungwon for looking into his mind.

 

Soon enough he was able to drift off into sleep, turning around in Wonho’s arms so that his ear was against his chest, the quiet vibrations of the humming lolling him unconscious. 

 

 

 


	8. Decades of Sunflowers

   Minhyuk stood in front of him with a syringe in his hand, the person at his feet looking just as pathetic as his actions have made him out to be. He was done crying, he swore there weren't even any tears left. His knuckles were sore and bloody, Shownu didn’t want anymore blood, but he was going to shed as much as he could before the big guy got back home. 

“Min… Min you need to listen to me! This isn’t me-“ Minhyuk kneed him in the face again, sending Jooheon toppling over completely until his head was rested on Min’s feet. He liked him like this, in his control. 

“I don’t know how much of this delphinium you can take before you actually die, but I’m willing to risk it if you don’t stop lying to me. You’ve lied enough.” Min said, bending down in front of him and putting his finger under Jooheon’s chin to make him look up at his face. He looked scared. For the first time in over a year he actually had some form of emotion lingering in his eyes. Min didn’t let it get to him, everything this boy did was a lie. Everything he ever was to him was a lie. 

“Do it. If it makes you feel better. Do it.” Jooheon said, his voice barely more than a whisper. Blood was traveling down his nose from where Minhyuk had punched him earlier, and to be honest Min felt pretty proud of it. 

“I wouldn’t let you off that easy, jagiya.” Min grabbed onto Jooheon’s collar and shoved him backwards until he was lying on his back. They were in their old room in Kihyun and Shownu’s house, it was where they used to stay before Jooheon went off the deep end and Min ended up at Hoseok’s. Minhyuk moved to straddle Jooheon’s lap, slowly lowering himself down until he was inches from his face, the syringe held ready in his hand. The hand holding the syringe was shaking with anger as he stared down at Jooheon from this close in this position. 

“Do you feel _any_ remorse?” He asked, staring into Jooheon’s eyes to see if he would tell the truth.  


“I… of course I do- It’s hard to-“ Minhyuk cut him off using his free hand to yank Jooheon’s head back by his hair, exposing his neck. 

“Decades down the drain, It’s not hard to fucking explain-“

“Please give me a second to try, I don’t care if they are listening in anymore-“

“You had your goddamn second.” Min said, plunging the syringe into his neck. Jooheon clenched his teeth in pain, the veins visible on his neck as the dose started doing its job. He didn’t give him enough to kill him, just enough to hurt. He leaned down as if he were going to kiss him, instead moving to his ear. 

“You mean… _nothing_ to me.” He whispered, Jooheon reaching out to grab his arm in an attempt to keep him down. He wasn’t strong enough, the delphinium made him weaker than usual, so Minhyuk was able to hit his hand away and get up. He looked at him one more time, the guy struggling to even sit up, before he left the room. He shut the door behind him and walked downstairs to find Shownu walking through the front door. From the look on his face, he already knew.

“You need to let me handle him, don’t let your feelings get in the way-“

“You’re one of the reasons this is happening in the first place. I don’t want to hear it.” He spat, not giving him a second glance as he walked out the door. 

 

Minhyuk walked down the street, trying to calm the anger that was boiling up inside of him. He heard someone running after him and groaned, turning around to find Kihyun. He was wearing Shownu’s red plaid jacket, which was massive on him. Minhyuk couldn’t understand how he could forgive Shownu so quickly for being gone so long without explanation. He was loyal to him, through and through, he was probably here now because Shownu sent him. 

“What do you want?” Minhyuk asked, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his jeans. 

“Nothing, just a walk. Where are you heading?” Kihyun asked, walking forward and linking his arm with Min’s in an attempt to cheer him up. Kihyun wasn’t dumb, he knew what day it was. Min just went with it, he didn’t have the energy to shoo him away, at least now that Shownu was home he wasn’t being a raging bitch. 

“I just needed some fresh air. And I was going to visit my sister.” Min said, Kihyun’s arm tightening at the words. 

“Mind if I join you?” As if he wasn’t already attached to his arm and walking… This kid.

“Sure.”

 

Min stopped at a flower shop along the road to get some sunflowers for his noona. They were always her favorite, she said they reminded her or him because of how bright they were.

When he got to where he was going, Kihyun gave him some space, sitting down on a bench near the paved path. Minhyuk kneeled in front of the gravestone, taking the dead flowers off of the grass that he had put there a few weeks ago and placing down the new ones. He sat crosslegged, absentmindedly playing with the petal of one of the sunflowers as he looked over the familiar carving on the stone.

“Happy birthday, Jae Eun. I wish you were here to give me advice.” He sat there in silence for a long time, reading the year of death over and over again. _1930_. She had died too early. Around the same time Min was given this unwanted immortality, she was given two weeks to live from the cancer spreading through her lungs. He never told her what he was, he didn’t want to stress her out when she was going through so much. She was on bedrest at home with him that last week, she told the doctors she wanted to die at home. There was a second where Min lost his control and tried to turn her. He could have stopped her from dying, he could have kept her in his life forever with a simple dose of blood. But Jooheon grabbed him and pulled him away. He explained to him that night that turning him had been a selfish act, and he couldn’t let Minhyuk make the same mistake. You can’t decide a person’s fate for them just because you don’t want them to leave you.

Minhyuk was pulled out of his thoughts by Kihyun’s hands on his shoulders. Seeing the date just showed him how old he was becoming. He was past a hundred now, he should have died at least twenty years ago. Instead he was locked here, never changing, just for someone who threw him away like he meant nothing. He stood up wordlessly, not wanting to move away from her grave. He should have left with her. He should have died that day Jooheon went too far. He shouldn’t be here. 

Kihyun’s arms wrapped around his torso from behind, holding him tightly.

“Whatever happens with him… you still have us. No matter what, we’re family.” For the first time in awhile Minhyuk didn’t want to slap Kihyun. He turned around, wrapping his arms around the smaller boy's shoulders.

 

When they got back home Shownu was pacing back and forth in the living room, a cellphone against his ear. 

“Pick up… Pick up, PICK _UP_!” Min flinched at the volume of his voice, Kihyun running past him to stop Shownu from pacing. He held onto the lapels of his jacket, keeping him steady as he looked up at him, Shownu continuing to tap his foot anxiously now that he wasn’t moving. 

“What’s wrong, who are you calling?”

“I’m calling Taemin. We have a problem. We should have listened to Jooheon earlier-“

“Why the fuck would you listen to that-“

“I said _not_ to let your feelings get in the way, Lee Minhyuk!” Min widened his eyes at him, Shownu was never this harsh. It was only then that the name started to register in his head. 

“Wait… Why are you calling that hunter?” Minhyuk asked, eyes moving towards the stairs. His brain started moving a hundred miles per hour, and he remembered what Jooheon was saying right before he injected him. _I don’t care if they are listening in anymore._

_“_ We have bigger problems on our hands.” Shownu said, sighing in relief when the human finally answered the phone. 

“Someone is listening.” Min said aloud, looking over at Kihyun. “Someone is watching… who is watching?!” Kihyun stared at him like he’d lost his mind as Min shouted, running up the stairs two steps at a time. He opened the door to the room, walking over to where Jooheon was still passed out on the floor, and yanked him up. 

“Wake up, god damnit!” He yelled, slapping his face to see if it would do anything. Nothing. He had given him too much, the guy was too weak. Min bit his wrist and held it to Jooheon’s mouth, waiting eagerly for him to wake up at the taste and drink some. His eyes started to flutter open as the blood went down his throat, and Min made sure he had enough to keep him up and moving before he pulled his hand away. 

“Min? What are you doing-?”

“Who is listening in? It’s time you fucking speak up.” 


	9. Love and Other Drugs

**January 7, 2017**

Jooheon took a taxi down to the hospital that was just a few streets away. They ran out of supply, and his friend had promised him a new pack by midnight. He was beginning to get hungry himself, ever since they ran out he had been letting Min drink from him, which probably wasn’t the best idea. When Min was hungry, he got grumpy too, and Jooheon wanted to avoid any and all grumpiness that night. Shownu left about a week ago without a word, and he still hasn’t contacted them. Their house was on pins and needles, if anyone said the wrong thing, hell broke loose. Shownu kept them together, and he also kept Kihyun from nagging at them twenty four seven. 

As soon as he jumped out of the taxi, he lifted his phone up to his ear, dialing Jackson’s number.It only took one ring for the guy to answer. 

“I’m here, which floor are you on?” Jooheon asked, walking into the front entrance of the hospital.

“Third. Bambam is distracting our boss right now, so you have a window of time.” Jackson said, hanging up a second later. Jooheon walked up to the front desk, trying to ignore the intense smell of blood everywhere in the building. His hunger was making it even harder, he needed to get out of here as soon as possible. He met Youngjae at the main counter, the guy giving him the heads up so he could make it to the elevator without any questions asked. On the way down the hallway, he saw Bambam standing in front of an older girl in doctor’s robes. She looked done with the situation, his arm rested on the wall next to her head as he leaned in close to talk to her. Probably something he thought was charming, but was actually infuriating. Somehow it still made his boss blush, and it gave Jooheon time to get to Jackson in the blood lab. 

“Gotta be quick man, usually I have Mark with me to distract her. Bambam is probably the worst-“

“-gvie me one.” Jooheon cut him off, his incisors already coming out at the smell. Jackson widened his eyes at him, throwing a bag and taking a step back. 

“Dude, you okay?” Jooheon ripped the bag open with his teeth, downing the thing quicker than he probably should have. He began to feel slightly better, laughing at Jackson’s surprised expression. He handed the empty bag back, reaching out his fist to do their old handshake.

“Min’s been drinking from me. We’ve been out, and Shownu usually gets the stuff.” Jooheon explained, following Jackson over to the counter. He put more than enough in a small cooler that was leather on the outside to make it look like a business bag. They had been doing this for centuries, and not just for their family. Everyone in the city came to Jackson Wang for blood, unless they had a falling out with him, which that tends to happen quite often. Jooheon put the bag over his shoulder and turned to leave when the door to the blood lab suddenly opened. He backed up into Jackson, expecting his boss to come through the door, but instead it was a guy he’d never seen before. Definitely a vampire, and definitely not a doctor. He looked about the same age as Jackson, but his eyes definitely seemed older. He was average height, dressed in leather like a douchebag who probably owned a motorcycle, two compass rose tattoos on his neck, and a few other miscellaneous ones on his hands. 

“Sir, you don’t have clearance to be in here.“ Jackson said, stepping in front of Jooheon. The man didn’t seem to care. He clicked his tongue and walked further in the room, pushing his jacket aside to show the gun on his belt. 

“Guns don’t work on us, dumbass-“

“When the bullets are full of delphinium, they do.” He interrupted, shrugging his shoulders with a smirk on his face that was eery. “He doesn’t have clearance either. I’m just here for him.” The guy said, Jackson reaching behind him and grabbing Jooheon’s arm protectively. 

“Mhmm. Well, the kid is my business, so how about you go fuck yourself.” Jooheon rolled his eyes, this was about the worst possible time for Jackson to make someone angry with him. He had a knack for pissing people off, which always ended up getting Jooheon into trouble.

“Who are you?” Jooheon asked over Jackson’s shoulder, dropping the bag at his feet incase he needed to fight. The guy stepped forward, and Jackson pushed even further back against him. The guy had a problem when it came to possession, it didn’t help that he’s had some kind of weird crush on Jooheon for decades. 

“Moon Jongup. I’m from SVPC.” He said, Jackson muttering the letters under his breath in an attempt to figure out what it was. At one point he tried to pronounce it as a word, Jooheon wasn’t getting out of this with his help. 

“What is that?” Jooheon asked, the guy clearly getting restless with the amount of questions directed at him. Before he could say anything the door opened again and Jackson’s boss walked into the room, Bambam following after her in a frenzy. 

“What in God’s name is going on in here?” She asked, looking back and forth between Jackson, Jooheon, and the strange guy by the door with dark blue hair. “None of you should be in here, I have to-“ She never finished, because the vamp reached out and snapped her neck like a twig, not a hint of hesitation. Bambam rushed forward to catch her before she hit the ground, staring up at Jongup in anger. It happened so fast, none of them really knew how to react. 

“What the fuck did you do?!” He shouted, Jongup rolling his eyes as he took the gun off his holster and pointed it down at Bambam’s forehead. Jackson tried to rush forward to get to Bambam, but Jooheon caught his arm and kept him back. It wasn’t going to help. 

“She was just going to cause trouble. Civilian casualty. Are you going to cause trouble too?” Jongup asked emotionlessly, Bambam cradling the doctor in his arms. The look on his face was damn near terrifying, even with a gun pointed at his temple. Kid had guts.

“I don’t know if you’ve been around this hospital, but this is not the way we handle things here. Our whole business is set up around _not_ killing!” Bambam screamed, bracing himself for whatever the vamp was planning to do with him. Jongup sighed and went to pull the trigger, but Jackson pulled away from Jooheon’s grip and knocked the guy over, the bullet hitting the wall behind Bambam. The noise would definitely attract some people, they didn’t have much time. Jooheon ran over to Bambam, picking him up by his shoulders and taking him away from the dead girl, as much as he tried to hang onto her. By the time he actually got Bambam out of harms way, Jongup had Jackson in the air by a hold on his shirt collar. Bambam pulled against Jooheon to try to get to his hyung, but Jooheon pulled him behind his back, holding his arms in place so he couldn’t get free. 

“Times are changing, people are getting sloppy, and VEX is about to get involved, if they haven’t already. So if you don’t mind me, I’m going to take what I came for and leave.” He said, throwing Jackson into the wall and moving towards Jooheon. Jooheon knew he wasn’t a match for him, but he went to throw a punch anyway, the vamp catching his fist and flipping him over. Bambam ran at him next, but he was also shoved to the side like it was nothing. 

Once Jooheon was back on his feet, he put his hands up in surrender so that his friends wouldn’t get hurt anymore. He was going to have to see what this guy wanted. He had heard of the name VEX before, Shownu and Hyungwon had some friends that used to be part of it. It was a vampire extinction program, so the sound of it in this context couldn’t be good. 

“What makes you think I want to join you?” He asked, the guy grabbing his jacket and pulling him forward to talk into his ear. 

“Lee Minhyuk is dead if you don’t.” He said, Jooheon glaring at the vamp when he pulled back.

“I won't let you near him.” Jooheon said, his jaw clenched. No one was getting close enough to Min to lay a finger on him and survive to see the next day. 

“The three of you aren’t even a match for me.” He said with a laugh, pointing out the plainly obvious. “And you can’t hide from our company, we’ve been watching your family for awhile.” He pulled out his cellphone from his pocket, unlocking it and turning it around to show Jooheon. It was a surveillance camera of his house, looking in through the bedroom window where Min was. Jooheon tried to hold in his anger before he could get into any more trouble with this guy, his nails digging into his palms so hard it drew blood. 

“We have a sniper on site. Same high dosage in the bullets that are in my trusty babe here.” He said, motioning to his gun as he put the phone back in his pocket. “So, what do you say? Are you in?”

“Fine.” Jooheon spat, watching over Jongup’s shoulder as Jackson went over to help Bambam to his feet. Jongup smiled, grabbing onto Jooheon’s arm and pulling him towards the exit. He stepped over the dead body like it was nothing, Bambam seconds away from jumping up to fight again until Jackson dragged him back down. Jongup turned towards the two vamps before he left the room, smiling at them in a way that made Jooheon’s stomach churn. 

“If you two speak a word of this to any of Jooheon’s family, we’ll make sure your business here and your family are wiped out. You hear me?” He asked, both of them nodding as he pulled Jooheon out of the room. Jooheon looked back as he was leaving to see Bambam scramble back over to his boss, crying as he pulled her into his arms. Jackson nodded to Jooheon, hands on Bambam’s shoulders. Jooheon knew he would try to find him. 

 

Jooheon was surprised at the lack of people running to the blood lab after the sound of the gun going off. Seeing as how they had surveillance on his family, he felt like they had prepared for this to happen. When they left the hospital, Jooheon noticed a different person at the front desk who wasn’t Youngjae. These guys were definitely thorough in whatever it was they did. 

He was shoved into the back of a limo, a blood bag thrown at him as Jongup sat down and shut the door behind him. They stared at each other in silence as the limo started up and made its way down the road. He unclenched his fists and wiped the blood off on his jeans, deciding it was time for more questions. 

“What is the SVPC?” Jooheon asked, the blood bag sitting unopened on his lap. The guy narrowed his eyes at him. 

“Drink that and I’ll tell you-“

“Did you lace it with something?” Jooheon asked, toying with the bag. Jongup just smirked at him.

“Nothing bad. Just an extra boost. Something to make you stronger.” Jooheon didn’t trust it, but it seemed like at this point he didn’t have any choice in the matter. He opened the bag, feeling his eyes on him the whole time, and downed it in a few gulps. It had a strange taste to it, he couldn’t quite place it. 

“The SVPC stands for Seoul Vampire Population Control.” He answered, Jooheon turning his head to the side in confusion. 

“Wait, but you’re a vamp-“

“Yes, but you kids keep multiplying and leaving a mess around the city. The government is catching on, and VEX is already one step ahead.” Jooheon started feeling a little odd, whatever it was that Jongup gave him, he wanted more of it. A lot more. He didn’t even notice his incisors were out until he accidentally nicked his bottom lip. 

“But what do you want me to do? Why do you even know me? What does Minhyuk have to do with any of it?” Jooheon asked, the guy throwing him another blood bag without him having to ask. The taste reminded him of his days in university with Minhyuk, when he used to drink from him before he was turned. It seemed as if it was coming straight from the source instead of being kept in a freezer for weeks. “And what is in this?”

“We’re expanding in preparation. Plan was to get the head vamp from every small community in the area, but Son Hyunwoo decided to up and leave before we could get to him. You’re his right hand man, so you’re the next best thing. As for the blood, we need you guys to stop messing with that packaged shit and start drinking from the vein again.” Jooheon looked down at the empty bag, wiping the back of his hand across his lips to get the blood off. From the vein? But it was packaged… 

“When was this packaged-?”

“A few hours ago. It’s from a young girl I found on the street before getting to the hospital. No worries, she didn’t have any family that would look for her, we’re not messy with our dealings.” He said, Jooheon automatically feeling like he would throw up. 

“ _You bastard!_ ”

“Hey, a few casualties will have to do until we get things fixed here. Right about now you’ll start to crave this. Don’t worry though, we’ll get these to you while you’re working for us, but you also have to find your own source outside of what we give you. I recommend a human you can use more than once. We have a few profiles in your area of humans without families that just moved to the area, so in order to avoid a mess, this is crucial.” He handed the papers over, and Jooheon took them angrily. 

“And what if I refuse?” He asked, teeth clenched. 

“Then Minhyuk will be terminated. Simple.” Jooheon’s eyes turned red, incisors still out. He was a second away from attacking the man right then and there, but that wouldn’t do him any good. He couldn’t hurt another human. He still felt guilty to this day for using Min, even if he allowed him to. It felt wrong, it made him crave things he didn’t want to.

“How do you even know this much about me?” He asked, looking through the papers in his hands without care just so he wouldn’t have to see the guy’s face. 

“We’ve been keeping track with recent… complications in the population. We’re always listening in, so you can’t get any of this information to anyone without one of our team cutting your boyfriend’s head off. It is best if you stay away from them altogether. The blood we’re supplying you may begin to take effect, as you probably already started to notice, and you don’t want to hurt family, do you?” Jooheon was damn near seething at this point, he couldn’t comprehend what he was hearing. His head was pounding, and it took damn near everything not to rip the guys throat out. He’d never felt so ready to murder someone before… 

“You guys are insane! You can’t control people like puppets-“

“Ah… But we’re not people, Jooheon. I’m not a person, you’re not a person. It is time for you to be the monster that you are, so we can work on keeping this problem under wraps. Your whole job in this is simple: stay out of the way, locate targets we give you, and take them out. We’ll take care of the cleanup, don’t worry about that.” Suddenly the car stopped and the driver walked around to open the door. Jooheon recognized the building, he was home. Jongup handed him a cooler of blood bags, much like the one from the hospital, and nodded towards the open door. 

“I told you, we’re not messy. That doctor at the hospital has already been taken care of. Go give your family what they need so they don’t start to ask questions. Your first assignment is tonight, we will contact you. Remember, if you speak a word of this to them, or try to find a way out, Minhyuk dies.” He said, Jooheon shakily folding up the papers and stuffing them in his back pocket. He was too angry to say anything else, so he took the bag and stepped out, taking a deep breath as the limo drove away. He had to calm down before he went inside, Minhyuk would know if he was upset. By the time he was sure his eyes were back to normal, he walked up to the front door and opened the door, his hand shaking the whole time. 

“Honey, I’m home.” He called, trying to keep his voice normal as he walked into the kitchen and dropped the cooler down on the table. Kihyun was still locked in Shownu’s room, but Min was jogging down the stairs at the sound of him. He ran and wrapped his arms around his shoulders from behind, placing a kiss on his cheek. Jooheon squeezed his eyes shut in fear that he might cry. 

“You’ve had some already, right? You were getting low, I’m sorry about that.” Min said, turning him around in his arms. Jooheon faked a smile, pecking him on the lips before turning to unpack the cooler into their fridge. 

“Yes, I had some… Kihyun Hyung! Dinner is here!” He called again, hearing the door to Shownu’s room finally open. Kihyun looked rough, wearing Shownu’s large brown and grey plaid shirt that hung down past his thighs. 

“About damn time.”

“A thank you would be nice.” Minhyuk said, throwing a blood bag at him. Kihyun just rolled his eyes, taking the bag with him to the counter and pouring it into a glass. 

 

Later that night Jooheon sat on their bed, looking through the papers Jongup had given him earlier. His phone buzzed beside him, a message from an unknown contact. He opened it up, knowing this was most likely what Jongup meant when he said they would be in contact. 

**000:** _Choose from the profiles given within the next hour. Text the initials. Wait for further updates._

Jooheon looked back down at the paper in his hand, the rest already pushed aside. It was a boy in his early twenties, blackish hair and a small frame. He had just moved to Seoul this morning, damn were these guys fast at locating people. He had put in an application for Travelers right down the road, which Kihyun owned and Wonho worked at. It was the most convenient. He felt sick just thinking that.

**Jooheon** : _I.C._

Once it was sent he immediately shoved all the papers back into a bag and put it under the bed. He had secretly packed a few things, knowing he wouldn’t be able to come back after tonight. 

“Why the long face?” Min asked, walking into the room and jumping onto the bed. Jooheon shook his head, smiling at him as he hid his phone in his back pocket. 

“You were gone for more than five minutes. I missed you.” He said, pulling Minhyuk into his arms and leaving kisses all over him. Minhyuk laughed and pushed him off, messing with the covers on his side of the bed. 

“Always a fucking sap.” He said, Jooheon trying to smile. He knew it may be the last time he’d ever be with him like this, so he laid down and held his arms out. Minhyuk rolled his eyes, but he complied, falling onto Jooheon’s chest with ease and wrapping his arms around him. Jooheon was glad he couldn’t see his face in this position, because he was sure he was seconds away from crying. 

“You’ve been tense since you came home, are you alright?” Min asked softly, moving his head up slightly to kiss Jooheon’s neck. 

“Shownu being gone has just left me a little stressed I guess. I’ll be fine.” It wasn’t completely a lie. 

“We all are.” Min said, squirming in Jooheon’s arms and hooking his other leg over him until he was hovering above him. “But you have me. We’ll be okay.” He said, smiling brightly as he leaned down for a kiss. Jooheon wrapped him arms around him and pulled him down against his chest. He held on tight as he deepened the kiss immediately, which actually surprised Minhyuk. 

“Someone is a little eager, hmm?” He asked against his lips, sitting back on Jooheon’s waist, still straddling his lap. Jooheon shook his head, pulling at Min’s hand to tug him back down. 

“No… I just love you so much.” He said, leaving his lips to kiss along his neck, hand gently catching in his hair. Minhyuk seemed confused at first, but he kept going, every move he made was gentle. He tried to take in every part of Minhyuk that he could, knowing that after all of this was said and done, he would never have him back in his arms. 

“God, I love you.” Jooheon said into his mouth, feeling Minhyuk smile against him. 

“So I’ve heard.” Min said, pulling back and kissing his nose. “I love you too, but you know that.” 

 

That night when Min was asleep on his chest, Jooheon’s phone buzzed. He quietly picked it up and opened the message, shielding the light away from Minhyuk. 

**000** : _I.C - about to embark on bus headed for new apartment complex Zelo - get him before he gets there. You know the consequences. You have thirty minutes._

Jooheon put his phone back and looked at Minhyuk. He traced the bare skin of his back with his finger, soft enough not to wake him up, tears already threatening to fall. His fluffy black hair was a mess, Jooheon loved it like that. He always thought Minhyuk looked the most beautiful like this. He slowly rolled him off of his chest so that he had room to leave, keeping his arms around him the whole time so he wouldn't wake up. Before he left he held on tight, hiding his face in the crook of Min’s neck, trying to keep himself composed. He moved to his ear, knowing Minhyuk probably wouldn’t hear it, but he had to say it.

“I love you. More than myself, more than anyone… _I love you_. That’s why I have to go. I’m sorry.” He whispered, pulling back and kissing Minhyuk’s forehead before he moved off of the bed. Minhyuk squirmed a bit in his sleep, but he didn’t wake up. 

Jooheon put his bag on his shoulder and walked out of the townhouse, making his way to the nearest bus stop before the new Zelo apartment complex. He felt anxious when he saw the headlights of the bus coming close, and pulled his hood up over his head. This was a small part of town, so it wasn’t a surprise when this late at night only one person got off the bus. He wasn’t as short as Jooheon had imagined, maybe a few inches shorter than him. His black hair had a tint of blue, and he was wearing an old jean jacket with a bunch of english lettering on it. He caught Jooheon’s eye as he got off the bus and smiled, nodding at him in a friendly manner as he took one earbud out of his ear.

“Do you live around here? I’m new, and I’m looking for…” He trailed off as he looked down at the crumbled paper in his hands, “Zelo apartment complex?” He asked, Jooheon’s knees shaking as he stood up. Something in him was already hungry, it was almost uncontrollable. Just the smell of human blood so close set him off, and he had to look at his feet so the boy wouldn’t see his red eyes just yet. 

“Yes, do you want me to walk you there? It is just down about a block.” Jooheon said, pointing down the sidewalk. 

“Oh, you don’t have to-“

“I insist.” He looked up at him and smiled, feeling something inside of him changing. The boy’s eyes grew wide when he saw him, and he scrambled backwards, tripping on the curb.

“ _Fuck_ man- What are you?!” Jooheon rushed forward and grabbed the kid by his jacket before he could run away, dragging him over to the alley that was right next to the apartment building, just in case anyone walked by.

“What the fuck man!? Let go! _Help_! HELP!” He covered the kid’s mouth with his hand, shoving him into the wall as his senses overtook him. He stared down at him in a different way than he had viewed humans before. Part of his brain was trying to tell him it was something in the blood Jongup gave him earlier, but he couldn’t control it. 

There were tears in the kid’s eyes, and he couldn’t even feel the remorse. Something was wrong. But the smell… _God_ that smell. He had to have it. His head was pounding, worse than it had been before in the limo, as if it would explode if he didn’t get what he wanted that instant. 

“Im Changkyun?” He asked, leaning in closer. “We’re going to be seeing each other a lot. Welcome to Seoul.” 

He dug his teeth into Changkyun’s neck, his instinct taking over completely. All he saw was red, his mind going completely blank apart from the hunger. 

 

He had lost himself. 

* * *

 

**February 23, 2018**

Jooheon sat on the floor of his old room, the person who used to love him sitting in front of him with eyes full of tears. He had heard the whole thing, but Minhyuk still wasn’t speaking.  
****

“Since Shownu came back and kept me here, they haven't been able to get to me. They haven’t supplied me, and the delphinium helped get that shit out of my system. It’s me, I promise it’s just me…” He said, reaching out for Min’s hand, but Min pushed it away.

“Why should I believe you?” 

“Something bigger than us is about to happen, Min. I need you on my side. You know it, Shownu is catching on right now, isn't he?” Jooheon asked, Min nodding although his eyes were still full of rage. He couldn’t leave Min’s side now, not with the threat of him being killed by Jongup, or anyone in SVPC. They probably knew already, they were always one step ahead. 

“If… _If_ you are telling the truth. It doesn’t explain one thing.” Min said quietly, tears rolling down his cheeks. Jooheon had never felt a greater pain than seeing him like this. Knowing it was all because of him felt like someone had dug their hand into his chest and ripped his heart out. “Why did you fuck him? Did you like him? _Do_ you...?” Jooheon flinched at the words, flashes of the things he had done while under the influence of the drug they laced in his blood coming into his head. It was like remembering a bad acid trip. He was barely there during those times, because he usually got a dose that morning from the SVPC. 

“I didn’t like him. They- It controlled me. When I say it made me hungry, that was just kind of… part of it.” He didn’t know how to explain it to him, he couldn’t even explain it to himself. Hell, he didn’t recall more than half of the things he did, people he hurt, people he killed… “I don’t even remember.”

“I want to believe you, but-“ Minhyuk angrily wiped tears away, standing back up and leaving Jooheon on the floor. “I can’t right n- I need time.”

He ran out of the room, slamming the door behind him and leaving Jooheon alone again. 

 

He could hear yelling downstairs, but he didn’t dare go down there. When the door opened again, he expected Shownu to come in and start interrogating him too. Instead, Jackson walked inside the doorframe, his hands stuffed in his pockets. He wordlessly walked over to Jooheon, lifting him up off the ground and pulling him into a hug. 

“I’m sorry it took this long. I couldn’t risk… I couldn’t-“

“I know.” Jooheon said, hiding his head in Jackson’s shoulder and finally breaking down. Part of him wanted the drug back in his system so he didn’t feel like this. He couldn’t handle the look in Min’s eyes… He couldn’t handle the look in any of their eyes. He had single handedly torn his family apart, and he didn’t even remember most of it.

“We’re going to fix this. Taemin and Seulgi are on their way from America now. Apparently that’s where Shownu had been.” Jackson paused, rubbing Jooheon’s back and holding onto him tighter. 

“It will be okay.”


	10. Teddy Bear With a Knife

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is basically one giant shitpost i apologize...

   Wonho was stood in Shownu’s dining room, which was a little too small for there to be several other vamps and one human sharing the space. Changkyun noticed this off the bat, and went to sit on the couch in order to be out of the way. Wonho could tell Chang didn’t feel comfortable being here, but he didn’t feel comfortable about leaving him at home either, no matter how strong he said he was. Taemin and Seulgi were on a flight back to Seoul as they spoke. It had been a few days since Jooheon explained himself, so they should arrive anytime now. Wonho could tell Hyungwon was starting to get anxious. He would be too if the girlfriend that he never really broke up with was about to walk through those doors. Especially seeing as how his girlfriend was a vampire hunter.

Jackson had convinced the rest of his family to travel back to California with Mark for awhile, apart from Bambam. It may have only been a threat, but he had wanted to get them as far away from the SVPC as possible. Jackson was just here for Jooheon, and Wonho was just relieved someone else was around to deal with him because he still couldn’t look him in the eye. 

“If Jooheon is telling the truth about all of this, how do we know? Why haven’t I been taken in?” Wonho zoned back into the conversation, eyes falling on Bjoo, who was leaning against the wall with his arms wrapped loosely around Minsung’s shoulders. 

“Because you’re not the head of the family, idiot, Sangdo is.” Ji Ho answered him, Jackson deciding it was his time to butt into the conversation. 

“Then why are _you_ here? I prefer that beauty over you anyway-“

“I’m sure you do. Get over it, it’s been over a decade.” They continued arguing, Wonho surprised Minhyuk hadn’t joined in yet. It was him that they were fighting about anyway. Wonho never knew the full story. He knew that right when Jooheon was turned, Ji Ho was also a newborn vamp around the university. While Jooheon was away from Min in an attempt to keep him safe, Ji Ho was still trying to control his hunger, and ended up attacking Min one night. That was the whole reason Minhyuk found out about vampires, and what led him to find out his boyfriend was also one. Jooheon never stopped blaming him for that, because he thought if Min never found out about him being a vampire he would have just left, and then he would have never gotten hurt. He would have never been turned. Wonho wondered how he felt about it now.

“I think we should concentrate on something a little more important right now.” Wonho said, eyes on Ji Ho. He was the one he didn’t know much about. Because of Jooheon, he had kept his distance from their family for a while now. Wonho really only knew some of their family because he really liked going to Joo’s for ramen, plus that thing he had for Minsung. On the other hand, he didn’t have to worry about Jackson. He could control Jackson. Honestly he could probably take his shirt off and Jackson would be willing to do whatever he asked, the guy was thirsty for something other than blood. 

_I don’t want that image in my head-_

_Then stay out of mine._

_“_ You’re right. I don’t want to stay here longer than I’m needed. Once we figure out if Jooheon is full of shit or not, I’m out of here.” He said, Minsung looking over at him with his eyes narrowed. Ji Ho got the warning and nodded to him, putting his hands up with a sigh. “Sorry, my bad, figure out if Jooheon is lying-“

“He is telling the truth.” Everyone turned towards Hyungwon, who was awkwardly leaning against the wall. He didn’t like having this much company, Wonho could tell he was uneasy. Too many minds. Hyungwon usually able to be in control of whose mind he read, but with too many people around, some thoughts just kind of sunk in. “To answer your question before, Bjoo, _I_ know. If you guys would take one fucking second to let things in the past go and actually think, you would’ve known that by now. The drug is out of his system, and he has been within my reach, I can read his mind you dumbasses.” 

_“_ Oh.” Kihyun said, defeated, Shownu nudging him in the shoulder. Everyone was at a loss for words, it was Changkyun who stood up and said something. 

“Okay. Well then tell me. Is he lying?” Changkyun asked, Hyungwon shaking his head at him. “Then I say we listen to what he has to say and figure out what to do instead of sitting here determining whether he should be at fault or not. _I_ am the one he hurt, _Min_ is the one he hurt, other than us you guys need to concentrate on doing what you can to help this situation.” He walked around the couch and over to Wonho’s side, eyes focused on Shownu. 

“So hyung, a large corporation of vampire killers called VEX is targeting Seoul because it’s gotten overrun lately. And two ex-members are coming to help us - is that right?” He asked, eyes straight ahead and serious. Wonho couldn’t help but feel a little turned on.

_Me too-_

_Stay out of my head, and away from my man._

_Oh, I missed you claiming him. My mistake._

“Okay, so we know that much. Jooheon also mentioned these other guys sending him on missions. I’m guessing like an assassin… but who was he targeting-?”

“Well he targeted me for some reason, that’s why he went after Hojoon.” Ji Ho said, stuffing his hands in his jacket pockets.

“I think he targeted some VEX members who had already made it here.” Kihyun said, his legs on either side of Shownu’s waist from where he was sitting behind him on the counter. 

“And rogue vamps. The ones leaving the mess behind.” Minsung added, Bjoo nodding his head in agreement. Wonho was surprised that all it took was for Changkyun to speak up for everyone to finally slow down and think. 

“Wrong and wrong, they sent me after newborn vamps.” They all turned their head towards the stairs when they heard the voice. Wonho angled himself between the stairs and Changkyun, hand moving to Chang’s wrist and tightening protectively. “They wanted me to take out the new ones before the population could grow. I guess they don’t want to take out the vamps causing most the damage because they have business with them.” Minhyuk walked out of the room when Jooheon entered, and Bjoo went trailing after him to make sure he was alright. If Jooheon noticed, he tried not to make it clear on his face.

“Can you tell us more about your assignments? The company?” Kihyun asked, leaning forward against Shownu’s back, arms around his chest. Jooheon shook his head.

“I told you, I don’t remember a lot. I just remember the basics of my missions. Speaking of, Ji Ho may also have a target on his back now.” Jooheon said, clutching onto the rail to keep himself upright as he made his way down the stairs.

“Why me?”

“Because you were my last target. I failed the mission, they’ll be coming to look for both of us. You to take you out, and me to kill my family.” Jooheon walked over to Ji Ho, reaching to put his hand on his shoulder. 

“What I did wasn’t in my control, but don’t think I forgot what you did to Minhyuk.” Jooheon’s voice was calm, it was so different from what Wonho had gotten used to for a year now. He felt Changkyun pull away from his grip and all heads turned when he started walking towards Jooheon. Wonho was about to grab him and pull him back, but Shownu caught his eyes and shook his head no. 

“How much do you remember… about me?” Changkyun asked, Jooheon turning around to face him. His eyes dropped at the sight of Chang, tracing over all the bandages and cuts that were because of him. He opened his mouth as if to answer, but he couldn’t. Without any words he sunk down to the floor, bowing at Changkyun’s feet with his hands pushed together in front of him. The whole room fell silent. 

“I never wanted to hurt you. I’m sorry.” He said, voice muffled from his position. Changkyun crouched down in front of Jooheon, lifting his head up to look at him.

“I want to see you mean it.” He said, his voice deep and threatening. Wonho gulped, and Hyungwon glared at him from the other side of the room. This was not the time.

“I’m sorry for all the ways I hurt you over this past year. I wasn’t in control of it, and I never wanted to hurt a human, but I don’t expect you not to blame me. I don’t remember everything, but I feel like what I do remember is the worst of it. I know it may be hard to understand that I never wanted this to happen, but… I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Jooheon said, tears threatening to fall from his eyes as he looked over Changkyun’s shoulder at Wonho. That was the first time Wonho saw him since last year. The real him. His eyes were sincere, but Wonho couldn’t get the dark images of him out of his head. Changkyun stood back up and reached down a hand for Jooheon to everyone’s surprise. 

“If you need more proof besides Hyungwon… here.” Jooheon reached in his back pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper, holding it out to Changkyun. The kid took it, unfolding it and reading over whatever was there.

“So… they gave you this?” He asked, Wonho and Bambam both walking over to look at what he was holding over his shoulder. It was a profile of Changkyun, the SVPC name hidden in the top right corner. His driver’s license picture was at the top to the left, along with his full name, date of birth, blood type, and family relations. Wonho noticed Changkyun’s hands start to shake the slightest bit, so he took the paper from him. It had a whole list of information as to why he would be a good stand-in blood bag for Jooheon. It stated facts like where he was planning to work, when he was planning to arrive at Seoul, and if any of his family were still in contact with him.

“Jongup gave me a stack of them when he first assigned me, like I told you, this was one-“

“Why did you choose _him_?” Wonho asked, handing the paper to Bambam and moving forward to catch Jooheon’s shirt in his fist. Jooheon didn’t react at all, he looked like he had given up a long time ago, tears finally falling down his cheeks. Wonho hadn’t seen this look on his face since he turned Minhyuk decades ago.

“He was meant to work at Traveler’s… It was convenient. I had to pick someone, they were going to kill my- Min.” Jooheon’s voice started wavering and Wonho loosened his grip when he felt Changkyun’s hand on his back. 

“Hyung, it’s okay. It could have been anyone.” Wonho thought he would never see the day that Changkyun defended Jooheon. Then again, he never thought he’d see the day Jooheon bowed in apology. 

“How do we know they were going to kill Minhyuk?” Wonho asked, Jackson looking up from inspecting the paper with Bambam.

“He’s not lying. I was there when Jongup threatened him. The three of us couldn’t handle him, he almost killed Bambam with delphinium bullets, so there wasn’t another option. Jooheon did the only thing he could. I swear, that clairvoyant can look as far back in my mind as he wants, I have nothing to hide-“

“Jackson, no offense, but I’m scared to see what’s in there.” Hyungwon spoke up, standing up from where he had been leaning against the wall. 

“I was there too, you could do your scanny thing on me.” Bambam said brightly, but judging by the look on Hyungwon’s face, that was the lesser option.“But we already know now that Jooheon isn’t lying. As much as I still want to punch him in the dick, he is telling the truth. He’s sincerely sorry.” 

“Being sorry doesn't erase the past. Even if he can’t be blamed for his actions because he was being controlled… it still doesn't suddenly erase all the pain he’s caused.” Minsung said quietly, eyes on Wonho. Jooheon looked down at the floor, trying to hide his face from everyone. 

“I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt… on one condition.” Changkyun said, Jooheon looking back up at him with wide eyes. 

“You really don’t need to-“

“I’m not doing this for you. Helping you helps this family, and I’ve gotten pretty close to a few of them.” Wonho was really confused at how he went from turned on earlier to wanting to sleep in Changkyun’s arms and never get back up. Maybe that’s what love was? 

_A little bit of lust in there… But you’re on the right track._

_Thanks bro._

“Go talk to Minhyuk. Now.” He said, Jooheon opened his mouth to disagree, but Changkyun interrupted him. “I know he doesn’t want to hear from you, I know he is just going to yell… hell, let him get in a few punches. He needs to let his anger out in order to ever feel close to the same with you again. If you guys end up staying apart because of this, it will erupt. Please. This is the one thing I’m asking. As a sorry to me, make it up to him.” Changkyun said, Jooheon biting his lip nervously as he looked over at the door Minhyuk went into. 

“I understand.” He said, trying to smile even though he looked terrified. “You really are a selfless person, Changkyun. That I remember.” Wonho wrapped a hand around Changkyun’s waist as Jooheon walked in the back room where Min and Bjoo were.

It only took a few seconds for the yelling to begin, and Bjoo got the hell out of there the second it did. He ran straight back into Minsung’s arms, Minsung smiling like it was the cutest thing he’d seen all day. Jooheon shut the door behind him, and the yelling became muffled through the wall. It could have been worse, Minhyuk always was the loudest in their family.

“It seems pretty-“

Wonho was cut off by the sound of something crashing, followed by the door flying open. Something large and metallic flew past them, almost taking Bambam out. When it landed on the floor, he picked it up, leaving everyone else in stunned silence. It was a fucking hatchet. 

   Before they could do anything, the door to Shownu's room slammed shut again, and more yelling ensued. 

“-calm?” Wonho finished, Changkyun looking up at him like he was insane. “Hey, I know, I spoke too soon. I’m sure he’ll be fine. Maybe in pieces, but nothing worse than that. Hey Shownu? Just curious at this point… Why do you have a hatchet in your room?” He asked, Shownu looking just as confused as they all were. Kihyun raised his hand shyly from behind Shownu. 

“I kept it in there with me when everyone left… For safety, y’know? I’m a pretty small guy. Vampire or not.” He said, laughing when Shownu grabbed the legs that were around his waist and swung Kihyun around until he was in front of him. Wonho audibly gagged and Ji Ho turned away, covering his eyes. 

“You’re small, but not-“

“Excuse me, what did I walk into? Hyunwoo hyung, did you start the fun stuff without me?” Wonho thanked whoever was listening that Shownu did not get to finish that sentence. He turned to look for the owner of the voice, finding Taemin smiling brightly at the doorway. Shownu slowly lowered Kihyun back to the ground, the pink-haired boy leaning against his shoulder. 

“No, we were just- honestly I don’t know.” Shownu said as Taemin made his way through the mess of people and threw his arms around him, the sudden affection not surprising the older at all. Seulgi was left in the open door, chin covered by a red scarf, and eyes searching the room for Hyungwon. 

_This is how I die. Right now. It was nice knowing you, Lee Hoseok. I wish you all the luck-_

_Stop being so goddamn dramatic._

“If you’re looking for Hyungwon, he would be the tall guy trying his hardest to hide behind that short couch over there.” Wonho said with a smile as Seulgi closed the door behind her. Taemin was going from person to person with hugs, and honestly Wonho didn’t expect it when he felt arms around his shoulders from behind.

“Hoseok-ah! It’s been about a decade.” He said, kissing Wonho’s cheek playfully. For a human who used to hunt and kill vampires for VEX, he sure wasn’t afraid of them. Seulgi wasn’t either, she was already aggressively striding across the room to Hyungwon, her eyes set on her target. When she got to him she grabbed him by his jacket and shoved him into the closest wall when he tried to get away.

“ _You_!”

“Ah Seulgi, it’s nice to see you-“

“You lying _bastard_ -!”

“I was going to tell you I was back in Seoul-“

“You left with no explanation! NOTHING!” She pulled Hyungwon forward enough to push him back against the wall. Wonho flinched at the sound of his head hitting it, she wasn’t holding back. “It took the threat of a war between our kinds in order for me to even _find_ you!” 

Taemin pulled away from Wonho and moved in front of him, eyebrows raised. 

“She hasn’t been in the best mood.” He whispered, Wonho hiding a smile behind his hands when Seulgi turned around and stared daggers at Taemin.

“I’ll deal with you later, fourteen hours on a flight with you constantly poking me for attention has pushed me to my limit.” Taemin held his hands up in surrender, Wonho turning his back to her so she wouldn’t see him laughing. Honestly, she scared him a little bit. She was human.  A human who knew how to work a crossbow, and could knock him on his ass in a fight. 

“Isn’t this nice? Family reunion!” Jackson said in an attempt to lighten the mood, Bambam just shook his head at him in disappointment. No one but Taemin looked too happy at the words. Ji Ho looked like he was seconds from actually throwing up. 

Taemin ignored the weird tension in the room and stepped past Wonho, his eyes falling on Changkyun. 

“New family? He doesn't smell like a vampire-“

“For the last time, Taemin, we don’t have a smell. Even if we did, you wouldn’t be able to-“

“Shhhh.” Kihyun looked taken aback by being shushed by the guy, but after getting a warning look from Shownu, he decided to let it go. “Well, are you going to just stand there, or are you going to introduce me to this beauty, Hoseok?” Before Wonho could do anything, Changkyun reached a hand out to shake Taemin’s. 

“I’m Changkyun. I wouldn’t say I’m exactly new family. I’ve had some bad luck with Jooheon lately, and I am kind of involved with Wonho.” He said, Taemin smiling ear to ear. 

“ _Kind_ of? How so?” He asked, Wonho rolling his eyes and leaning against the back of the couch. 

“I…” Changkyun bit his lip and looked over at Wonho for help. Wonho wished Hyungwon wasn’t preoccupied right now so he could help before Wonho said the wrong thing. 

_Boyfriend. Say boyfriend, he’s thinking it too._

_You’re a saint, you will be missed._

_“_ He’s my…” Wonho paused, looking a Changkyun as if the answer was there. Instead Chang just raised his eyebrows impatiently. “Boyfriend. My boyfriend. Like… romantically. Not just a boy who is a friend, but a boyfrie-“

“I think he gets it, Hyung.” Changkyun cut him off with a laugh. Taemin looked between the two of them, smiling so wide Wonho was scared he would pull a muscle. Wonho eyed Changkyun cautiously to make sure he said the right thing, the guy shyly smiling at him with red cheeks he couldn’t hide. That was a yes. 

“See _that_ is how relationships work. Why can’t you act like that-?!”

“Because you have a fucking knife to my throat, Bear!”

“You deserve it!”

“I was trying to protect you-“

“Does it _look_ like I need protecting?!”

“From me, yes!” Everyone turned to look at the pair. Seulgi actually did have a knife to his throat, Wonho thought he was being dramatic again. Girl didn’t play. 

“What?”

“From me… From me falling in love with you.” Hyungwon confessed, Seulgi’s grip on his jacket loosening the slightest bit.

“You what-“

“I was falling in love with you. I left because-“

“-you didn't think I could handle it?”

“I didn’t want you to have to make that choice!” They all knew what he meant by that. Wonho tried to keep it out of his mind, but he had to face it soon. Vampire and human relationships don’t last long… only half of the couple is immortal. Hyungwon didn’t want her to choose between her human life and him. 

“But it was mine to make! Not yours-!”

“I know-“

“You- _You_! Are you that dense? I can’t believe it was all-!”

“Please put the knife down.” Seulgi thew the knife at his feet to prove a point, Hyungwon staring at her like she was insane. 

“What the fuck? Gahhh, you are someth-“

“Oh _I_ am? You left me for a year without explanation! I can't stand you-“

“Well I’m not too fond of you right now either!” Hyungwon yelled, both of them staring at each other like they would murder the other. Taemin looked over at Changkyun and held up three fingers. Wonho doubted his trick would work this time. 

“Three… two… one-“ Both of them rushed for each other’s lips the second Taemin’s last finger went down, Seulgi jumping up and hooking her legs around Hyungwon’s waist so she could reach his height. 

“Works like a charm, every time.” Taemin said, winking as Changkyun stared at him slack-jawed. “So uh, the ones yelling in the room-?“

“Jooheon and Minhyuk.” Minsung said, Wonho trying to ignore that fact that Hyungwon and Seulgi were still all over each other. 

“ _Aigoo_! Get a room!” Wonho shouted, Seulgi sliding off of Hyungwon and turning towards him with a shrug before Hyungwon grabbed her again. 

“So Jooheon is back to normal, Minhyuk might end up killing him, these two need counseling because this isn’t healthy, and you have a human boyfriend. Also, Byung Joo, who is yours?” Taemin asked, Minsung smiling shyly from under Bjoo’s arm. 

“Kim Minsung. He is a waiter at my ramen house.” Bjoo said, Minsung holding out his hand to shake Taemin’s.

“I’ve heard a lot about you from these guys. It’s nice to finally meet you.” He said, jabbing Bjoo in the side when Taemin looked away. 

“ _Just_ a waiter?” 

“No, I-“

“Sorry to interrupt the love fest in here… But we have a problem.” Shownu said, walking over to them and handing his phone to Taemin. The screen was playing a segment from the news, but Wonho couldn’t make out what it was about. 

Kihyun walked over to turn the television in front of the couch on, searching through the channels to find the news as Taemin’s eyes grew wide. 

“What’s wrong?” Wonho asked, Kihyun finally landing on the right channel. They all turned around to look at it, even Hyungwon and Seulgi.

“Underground government company, VEX, steps up to confirm recent sightings of what the public has believed to be vampiric attacks. We have been getting more reports from various locations. Busan has already put up a curfew until further notice. You’re hearing this correctly, the myths are true, and vampires are in our city. So far, scientists believe it to be a weird form of disease outbreak that is causing this. Please stay in your homes while we come up with a solution. Stay safe.” The reporter looked like she didn’t even believe her own words. 

Wonho felt Changkyun’s hand find his and he held on tight. 

 

This was bad. 

 


	11. Ocean's Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update, college has been getting me down. Hope you enjoy :)

   All hell broke lose.

Changkyun found himself running down the same old streets he used to go down on the way to work. Difference was, this time the person chasing him wasn’t Jooheon. He just needed to make it back to Shownu and everything would be fine, he should have never left the house to look for Wonho without at least bringing Minhyuk with him. The streets were chaotic after the announcement of vampires being real. People started to believe it was the apocalypse, rushing to stores in the middle of the night and trying to ditch town. People were starting fights in the streets, accusing each other of being a monster, and even resorting to ransacking stores. Police sirens and yelling filled the streets, and some vamps decided to use this outing as a way to get some food. They must not be the smartest, because members of VEX were in the vicinity along with police officers. Taemin and Seulgi were the first to leave, trying to find anyone they knew from VEX and try to put a stop to this. Hyungwon went with them, telling Chang he should be there for Seulgi since he hadn’t been there for so long. He was out of range, and Chang couldn’t get his help. Jackson had dragged Bambam back to the hospital, trying to see how bad it was there. With the amount of attacks happening all of a sudden and the ambulances lining the streets, Changkyun was sure it was chaos. He was supposed to stay in the house with Minhyuk and Shownu while the rest of them went to cover up any tracks and close up Shownu’s bar and Traveler’s. Last he heard, Wonho was on his way to Minsung’s place. He was making sure they got back okay, and that Joo’s would be closed up alright. He had been left with just Shownu and Minhyuk, Kihyun also ditching to help out. Minhyuk had started to get antsy, pacing back and forth in front of the door, trying to figure out what to do. Changkyun stuck by Shownu just in case, although he doubted Minhyuk would actually hurt him. 

Changkyun tripped as he ran down the alleyway Jooheon usually caught him in, cursing when his knees hit the wet pavement. It was the worst possible time for it to be raining. He made his way back onto his feet, breathing hard, and noticed blood dripping into the water below him. That was not going to help him lose this vamp at all. He splashed the water away angrily and kept running, pulling his hood over his head as he turned down the back roads he had grown to know. He could hear footsteps not too far behind him, but he refused to stop running. If he survived this, Wonho was going to kill him. If he didn’t survive, Wonho would probably find a way to bring him back and then kill him again. Shownu had gotten a call from Kihyun right before Changkyun decided to leave, saying that they were caught up in something and Wonho was hurt. He didn’t say how hurt, but Changkyun couldn’t find it in himself to stay still much longer. Minhyuk even tried to catch him as he left, but he was too quick. 

Hands suddenly grabbed his shoulders and pushed him onto the ground. His face would have collided with the pavement if he hadn’t reached his arms out. He felt a slight pain in his wrist and cursed when he tried to put pressure on it.

“You’re the kid Hoseok has been playing house with, aren’t you?” The voice said, turning him around and reaching for the neckline of his shirt to lift him to his feet. Changkyun blinked his eyes at the guy, trying to figure out if he had seen him before or not. The pain in his wrist along with the panic kicking in started to make it hard to concentrate on what he looked like. He made out the messy brown hair and a larger nose, but nothing was familiar. 

“I don’t know who you're talking about.” He said, glaring at the guy through the dark. He’d rather not have Wonho involved in this. The guy tilted his head to the side, his grip on Changkyun tightening as he pulled him even closer. There was already blood on his mouth, Changkyun wasn’t his first catch tonight. 

“He won’t mind if I take some then.” He said, teeth flashing in the passing light of a police car that didn’t notice them. Changkyun didn’t even have time to react before the guy’s teeth were in his neck. He tried to push away and ended up hurting his wrist even worse, the vamp clenching down harder on his skin until he cried out in pain. Jooheon was never like this, this was more harsh than that. The guy’s hand caught the hair on the back of his head and tugged back violently, exposing his neck even more as he dug in. Changkyun found his knees going weak, the pull of blood was so forceful he felt like his head was floating. His eyes began to close just as he heard someone yell. It wasn’t a voice he recognized, but it made the vamp stop and pull away. He dropped Changkyun to the ground like he was garbage, the world spinning the second he hit the pavement. He felt like giving up, but he knew Wonho would blame himself. He couldn’t will his eyes open, but he reached up slowly to put his hand over the open wound on his neck, trying to stop the bleeding. He could fairly hear arguing a few feet in front of him, but he couldn’t make out what was happening. Next thing he knew he was being lifted up, his hand taken away from his neck and something else being placed there. He tried to open his eyes again, only catching a streak of bright white hair before he passed out.

 

When he came to he was in Wonho’s bed. His eyes focussed on the fan above him. 

“Wonho hyung?” He called out, hearing voices in the other room. He tried to sit up slowly, looking down to realize his right wrist was wrapped up. It was Shownu who walked in the room, making him suddenly panic about where Wonho was. He stood up from the bed, his adrenaline slowly kicking in, and tried to run past Shownu and into the living room.

“Hey-” Shownu reached out for him, hands catching his shoulders and holding him in place.

“Let me go-“

“Just slow down, alright?” Shownu asked, his grip on Changkyun tightening. 

“Where is he?” Changkyun knew that if Wonho was alright he would have been in the room with him. He could tell by the look on Shownu’s face that something was wrong. It was Hyungwon who walked in behind Shownu, pulling Changkyun out of the older’s grip. He was happy to be with someone more familiar, but his heart was racing too fast.

“He’s going to come with me, okay?” Hyungwon said to Shownu, eyes serious and almost deadly. Changkyun started getting more anxious by the second, something was wrong. 

_Everything is going to be okay, I promise._

_I thought you went with Taemin and Seulgi._

_Well for some reason I couldn’t bring myself to leave you right now. Disgusting, I know._

_“_ Wonho asked me to look after him-“

“I can do it. I’m doing this for him, not Wonho.” Hyungwon said, pulling Changkyun with him out into the living room. Changkyun realized his hands were shaking when Hyungwon stopped to grab onto them in an attempt to make him feel better. 

“Please… tell me what’s going on.” Changkyun looked up at him, pulling away from Hyungwon’s hold. “Where is he?” 

“He’s alive. VEX has him, but-“

“How the _fuck_ do they have him?! Which one of you let them-?!” As angry as he was, there were still tears in his eyes, and it frustrated him. Hyungwon didn’t answer, he just pulled Changkyun into his chest, arms wrapping around his back. 

_He’s okay. We’re going to get him back._

Changkyun gave in, arms holding onto Hyungwon to keep steady, leaning his face against his chest as he finally felt a little lightheaded from the blood he lost last night.

“I’m sorry about this, but we’re also going to do anything we can to help you guys get him back.” A voice he’d never heard before said from behind him. He pulled away from Hyungwon and turned around, keeping a hand on Hyungwon’s arm behind him. There were two guys he’d never seen standing by the couch. The one who had spoken waved at him; he was pretty tall, bleached white hair and tattoos traveling down his arms. He had on a black v-neck that exposed yet another tattoo on his chest. Changkyun had to do a double take when he read the word ‘yolo’ in black ink. That was when he recalled the bleach white hair from last night. 

“Who-?”

“I apologize, I’m Kim Wonshik, but you can call me Ravi. I’m the guy who brought you here last night when you almost conked out. I’m sorry about Hyuk… we’re trying to control him but-“

“Wait, you know the guy who attacked me last night?” Changkyun asked, backing up until he hit Hyungwon’s chest.

_It’s okay, they’re friends of ours. Their family is a little out there though._

_“_ I’ll take it from here, Ravi. I’m Hakyeon, I’m sorry about all of this. One of our brothers has also been under the control of SVPC, so we’ve been trying to clean up after him and keep him from doing anything else. We currently have Hongbin looking for him so we can keep him at home until we get everything sorted out. We’re friends of Hoseok’s, and we’re also trying to get back one of our own, so we’re here to help.” The other man said; he looked a little older, black hair parted over his eye and curling at the ends. Ravi caught Changkyun’s stare and tried to smile, but Changkyun looked away. He still didn’t know whether he should trust them or not. 

“You’re close to Hoseok, aren’t you?” Ravi asked, head tilted to try to grab his attention. 

“Yeah. You can say that.” 

“Well they have someone I am close to also. And I’m going to try everything I can to get him back. I’m going to help you too, because I know how it feels.” He said, his eyes sincere with every word. Hyungwon moved to stand beside Changkyun, nudging him in the shoulder. 

_He’s the reason you’re alive right now. Be a little more inviting._

“Thank you by the way… for saving me last night.” Changkyun said quietly, Ravi smiling at him. Everything about him looked aggressive, but he had the kindest expressions. His whole posture seemed to soften with his smile.

“You don’t have to thank me. Hyuk is my responsibility.” He said, looking to Hakyeon next to him. “Our responsibility.” 

“So they have Jaehwan?” Hyungwon asked, Ravi’s eyes suddenly falling to his feet. Hakyeon reached out to place a hand on his shoulder, nodding his head in response to Hyungwon. 

“Leo is already on his way there now, so he’ll probably meet up with your friends at some point. We should probably get going soon.” Hakyeon said, shuffling from one foot to the next as he made eye contact with Shownu over Chang’s shoulder. “Are you sure you don’t want to come with us, Hyunwoo-ah?” He asked, Changkyun turning around to see Shownu shake his head.

“I have things to take care of here. Kihyun was initially supposed to stay with me, but since someone is being stubborn, I’m sending him with you to watch after the boy. Promise me to keep him alive, I don’t want to deal with Wonho if something happens to him. He’s very emotional when it comes to humans.” Shownu said, rolling his eyes at Hyungwon as he wrapped an arm around Changkyun’s shoulders. 

“He’ll be fine, this one is a fighter.” Hyungwon said, Shownu just sighed and began to walk away. 

“I promise, he’s in good hands. I hope you get everything sorted out here with the bar and Jackson’s business at the hospital. Things have been crazy. We’ll call you if anything comes up.” Ravi called after him, Hyungwon pulling Changkyun back into Wonho’s room as the older guys talked things through. He tried to smile at Shownu as they passed, but the guy seemed too stressed to acknowledge it. Once inside, Hyungwon shut the door behind them, reaching up to run a hand through his hair. 

“We don’t have time to stop anywhere else, grab some of his stuff to use for yourself. I don’t know how long we’ll be gone, could be a couple days, so you might want to take a bag full. Small bag.” He said, Changkyun just stood there awkwardly in Wonho’s sweatshirt that was too large on him. 

“He’ll be okay, right?” Chang asked, his voice coming out more quiet than he intended. Hyungwon looked down at his feet, breathing in and searching his mind for the right words to say. Changkyun knew. He knew he couldn’t be sure, and he knew things would probably turn out bad. Whenever things are starting to look up, they fall apart again. 

“We’ll get to him.” Hyungwon said, reaching out to ruffle Changkyun’s hair in an attempt to lighten the mood. “Don’t worry, pack up.” 

 

Changkyun still had his bag there from the other night, so he just filled it with some of Wonho’s clothes that he thought he could fit into. Everyone in the apartment seemed tense. Kihyun came back with Minhyuk and pulled Shownu into a room to talk to him. Changkyun felt bad for how stressed Shownu looked. He still seemed peeved at Hyungwon, which he knew was his fault because Hyungwon was only doing this for him. He didn’t know what he would do if he was stuck here on the sidelines being babysat by the dad. He needed to be there when they got Wonho back, he would do anything. Hyungwon knew that, Shownu is just trying to keep his word to Wonho.

Minhyuk seemed really happy to see Ravi and Hakyeon. Changkyun had his bag in his left hand, walking out of Wonho’s room to find Hakyeon and Minhyuk sat on the couch talking. Minhyuk caught his eye and smiled, the gesture throwing Chang for a loop. 

_He knows none of what happened was your fault. You don’t have to be scared of him._

_Hyungwon… I fucked his boyfriend._

_His boyfriend kidnapped you and used you as food for a week. You did what you had to do, don’t make me yell some sense into you again._

Changkyun rolled his eyes at Hyungwon, he couldn’t help but feel terrible for the position Minhyuk was in. There was nothing he could do that would help anything either. To his surprise Minhyuk got up off the couch and made his way over to Changkyun. Before Chang could say anything, the taller boy’s arms were around his shoulders. He froze for a second, unsure of what to do, until he caught Hyungwon’s expression over Minhyuk’s shoulder. He dropped his bag and lifted his arms to hug Minhyuk back. 

“I’m sorry…” Minhyuk said into his shoulder, holding onto him tighter. “I’m glad you’re alive so I can tell you that.”

“No, I’m sorry.” Changkyun said, Minhyuk pulling back and shaking his head.

“Please don’t be. I know this is weighing on you, don’t let it. We do what we need to survive. Now we’re going to get your boyfriend back.” He said with a smile, holding out his hand to shake Changkyun’s. “Team?”

“Team.” He agreed, smiling at Min before looking at Hyungwon with the same smile. Both of these guys didn’t owe him anything, yet they were still his main support. He hasn't even known them long, but it seemed like he’s known them forever. Ever since coming to Seoul he’s just been on his own, keeping friends around isn’t easy when you have a vampire out to get you at any moment. These were people he could talk to about what he’s been through, it really made him feel less alone in all of this.

 

They left once night took over again and Hyungwon got the call from Seulgi. Ravi and Hakyeon went ahead of them with Kihyun, leaving Hyungwon and Changkyun to pile into Minhyuk’s car. Changkyun almost fell asleep in the backseat, Minhyuk listening to the radio and Hyungwon talking with Seulgi on the phone about where to meet. He pulled his knees to his chest and crossed his arms over them, head leaning against the window. He knew he would have to face Jooheon again soon, and he honestly didn’t know how he felt about it. Last night was hard enough stepping up to him, but he had to make it seem like he was alright for Wonho and Min’s sake. They need Jooheon back, the Jooheon they know, and Changkyun can’t let anything get in the way of that. Hyungwon was the only one who knew he felt like this, because it was impossible to hide anything from him. He’s told him countless times he needs to talk about all of it with Wonho. He’d rather not dwell on details that send him into memories he didn’t want to reopen.

He felt a pain in his thighs, a reminder that he still hadn't bandaged them. His mind was trying to attack him again, so he thought of Wonho. The first day he met him at Traveler’s, the way he smiled at him and Changkyun knew he was done for. The first day he kissed him, his lips rushed and hands impatient. Every time he’s kissed him since, the way it felt, like he was giving over everything. The way he melted in his arms, the feeling on his lips against his skin, the thought alone was comforting. His gentle touches, forehead kisses, the feeling of his hand tracing over Changkyun’s back. He thought of the way Wonho’s eyes squinted when he laughed too hard, complete with a smile that could blind you. The way he bit his lip when he was nervous, or pouted when he didn’t get what he wanted and looked way younger than he actually was. He wanted to know him deeper, body and mind, and he couldn’t let his own experiences get in the way of that. He was going to get him back. 

 

It took them a little over an hour to get to the location Taemin sent them to, it didn’t look like the right place. Changkyun imagined something different, bigger maybe, but was left facing an average-sized building surrounded by cop cars. It was pretty wide though, a large chainlink fence surrounding the entirety of it. There seemed to be a field in the back, possibly for some sort of training. They made their way to the back, looking for Hakyeon. Too much chaos was still going on in the streets for the cops to take any interest in them. Most were either in the complex or trying to control people trying to storm VEX. Changkyun caught sight of a few camera crews and wondered what they were broadcasting now. 

“This is insane.” Minhyuk said under his breath, turning into the parking lot of a gas station next to the building. He stopped the car and sat in silence for a few moments, none of them knowing what to do. The city was full of police sirens and screaming, the gas station they were in front of had broken windows from people looting last night and this morning. From what it looked like, there were still people getting what was left inside, disregarding the cops completely who were only one building away.

“So what exactly is Taemin’s plan?” Changkyun asked, hoping they weren’t also going to end up as part of the crowd storming the front doors. 

“We’re going to use Jooheon. You don’t need to know the whole plan, just stick beside me. You, me, and Min are going to concentrate on locating Wonho, everyone else has different jobs to do. Got it?” Hyungwon asked, looking back at Changkyun from the front seat. 

“Okay…”

“Just trust me.” He said, stepping out of the car. 

“Why did we need to pack all of this stuff, the drive wasn’t that long-“

“We’re not going back home, Chang.” Minhyuk answered as Changkyun stepped out of the car, feeling unprepared to storm the doors of a highly weaponized facility that excelled at hunting and killing vampires. Here he was in Wonho’s sweater that traveled down almost to his knees, old blue jeans, and his two already beaten up fists. He was not the strongest after everything that has happened lately, and now he was pretty sure his wrist was sprained too. Hyungwon noticed him checking his wrist out so he handed him a gun, Changkyun looking up at him with wide eyes. 

“Where the fuck did you get this?” Hyungwon just smirked and put his arm around his shoulder, pushing him after Minhyuk.

“I’ve been undead a very long time, you don’t think I have a stash?” He asked, Changkyun looking down at the gun in his hands like he’d never seen one before in his life. He’d seen one, yes. Fired one? No. Even held one? Not a real one. Hyungwon stopped walking and stood in front of him, eyes locating his. Min sighed in exasperation, they hadn’t even moved past the parking lot of the gas station.

“The safety is on right now, do you know how to turn it off?” He asked, Changkyun rolling the gun over in his hands and checking. He pointed out the small lever to the side and Hyungwon nodded. “You push that down… and now, how do you load it?” Changkyun had seen enough movies to know how to pull back the slide. He really didn’t picture himself using this, so he didn’t understand why Hyungwon was taking time out to teach him. Min was starting to look impatient as more sirens went off in the near distance. 

“Okay, now hold it like you would if you were about to shoot someone. Please don’t aim at Min.” Hyungwon stood back, leaving Changkyun to outstretch his arm, the gun in his left hand. Hyungwon just clicked his tongue, stepping behind Changkyun and grabbing his other hand to lift it up to the gun, centering his stance. 

“This isn’t a 1920’s gangster movie, hold it firmly with two hands to withstand the force of the recoil.” He basically had his arms wrapped around Changkyun to help him, and he suddenly felt like he was in a cheesy romantic comedy where the guy was teaching the girl how to play pool or some other dumb shit. 

_Wonho is not going to be happy to know you’re enjoying this._

_I’m not._

Minhyuk coughed to get both of their attention, Changkyun lowering the gun and turning the safety back on.

“Could you guys please stop flirting and get a move on? Hyungwon, your girlfriend is already inside.” He nodded towards the fence where they could see Kihyun climbing over the top and throwing his stuff down to Ravi and Hakyeon who were already on the other side.

“There has to be cameras-“

“My bear has a crossbow. Those cameras have been long dead.” Hyungwon said with a smirk, Changkyun still feeling uneasy about the whole thing. Starting with how the fuck he would be climbing that fence as weak as he was. The blood loss from last night on top of all the other wounds that haven’t healed yet did not make his future look too bright. No wonder Shownu wanted him to stay.

“So… are you going to toss me over the fence, because-“

“Oh, we’re not going that way.” Hyungwon said, dragging Chang by his arm. Min gave a signal to Hakyeon, and the three swiftly made their way inside. 

“Where are we going then?” He asked, Hyungwon taking the gun out of his hand and lifting his sweatshirt to stuff it in the back of his pants. “Hey! Watch it!” Once he had it covered up, he put a name tag on his overcoat, Changkyun realizing Min had one as well. “You guys have got to be kidding me. This shit isn’t halloween, we’re going to get killed!” Min laughed, walking back to catch ahold of Changkyun’s other arm, Hyungwon already having a hold on one. He didn’t like where this was going.

“Have a little faith, we know what we’re doing.” Minhyuk said as they finally approached the building, having to turn to make their way around the side. 

_Just keep your mouth shut, act scared, and do everything I tell you. Alright?_

_If I die because of this, you’re explaining it to Wonho._

_I’m not going to let you die._

Changkyun thought they were actually going to try storming the front door like all these other pedestrians were, but they pulled him to a sharp right turn that led to a side entrance. There weren’t any guards here, just a camera and some form of keypad. Min walked right up to it and hit the com button. Chang stared up at Hyungwon in confusion, but the guy disregarded his eyes. 

“State your name and code-“

“Lee Taemin, 239-“ Before Min could even finish the doors opened, a tall slender man dressed in a guard’s uniform stood in front of them. He looked up from underneath his cap and smiled, long black hair falling out of the hat and down his cheek. Hyungwon and Minhyuk looked just as shocked as Chang was. 

“Taekwoon hyung? How-?”

“Don’t worry about it, hurry inside.” The guy said, smile suddenly turning serious as he brought them in, placing a photo I.D. card on the keypad outside the door. The person in the picture was definitely not him. Changkyun remembered Ravi mentioning a Taekwoon earlier…

_Don’t ask questions, don’t talk out loud, keep your head down. This is Leo, he’s a friend._

Hyungwon’s voice in his head should be comforting, but it just made him more anxious for what was about to happen. The Leo guy led them into the facility, Min and Hyungwon holding onto Changkyun rather aggressively. A few other guys passed by with the same uniform on, Leo nodding at them as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Chang kept his head down like Hyungwon wanted, watching their feet over the hard tiled floor. The place reminded him of a hospital, a cold feeling coming from it. He snuck a few looks around him, finding halls and corridors leading to different rooms, the sound of weapons discharging in one of them. Must be a shooting range. 

_Curiosity killed the cat, head down._

Chang listened, Hyungwon’s hold on his arm tightening.

“Who are these people?”A voice asked from in front of them, all four coming to an abrupt stop. Changkyun bit his lip, preparing himself for the worse. 

“They are field workers on Jooheon’s case from the SVPC. They have obtained the blood bag, we’re bringing him in for questioning about the case. He might have valuable information.” Leo said, his voice soft but stern, not wavering at all. 

“Does the blood bag have a name?” The woman’s voice asked, this time Min’s grip on him tightened. He wished they would stop using him as a human stress ball. 

“Im Changkyun.” Hyungwon answered for Leo. Changkyun closed his eyes and waited, the moment of silence feeling like a million years. 

_“_ Alright, I have too much to deal with outside, move on. Make sure you turn in a report to Key before you leave today.” She said, Changkyun opening his eyes to watch her high heels as they passed by his feet. 

_Who is Key?_

_Taemin’s brother. He still works here. Guess he’s moved up in rank._

They continued on walking, Changkyun’s hands shaking slightly from the anxiety of the situation. It wasn’t out of concern for his own life, he was here to get Wonho back. The further in he got, the more structured this place seemed to be, it seemed almost impossible to get Wonho out of here. Suddenly they stopped walking again, the sound of a I.D. card being scanned followed by a door opening. 

“Alright, you have five minutes before they realize. Get him, and make your way to Kihyun.” Leo said, Changkyun finally lifting his head up as Min and Hyungwon walked him inside. They were in a small white room that looked like a cross between a prison and a hospital room. The second his eyes fell on Wonho he detached himself from Min and Hyungwon and ran. He got to the bed and almost tripped, falling on the side of it and pulling at Wonho’s arm. He was unconscious. His face was pale and bruised, an I.V. in his arm. Changkyun quickly pulled it out and went back to trying to wake him up.

“Come on, you’re okay. You’re fine, get up. Let’s go, hyung.” He felt Hyungwon’s hands on him, pulling him back while Minhyuk lifted Wonho from the bed. “He’s okay, right? He’s okay, he has to be-“

“He’s fine. We have to go.” Hyungwon said, hand tightening on his arm. Leo was still guarding the door while they walked out, Min cradling Wonho in his arms and putting his jacket over his face. Once they got out, Leo shut the door and was gone without another word. He blended back into the rest of the facility. Hyungwon pushed Changkyun down the narrow hallway, Min already walking in front of them. 

_How are we getting out of here? We stick out like a sore thumb now._

_We’ll get out._

_What were they injecting him with?_

_Delphinium._

As if on queue the building alarm started going off. Changkyun pulled away from Hyungwon’s hold and reached for the gun in his jeans just as a hand grabbed him and pulled him sideways into a room. If he had faster reflexes he would have fired, but before he could do anything a hand was over his mouth and Seulgi was in front of him. He let go of his hold on the gun, nodding so she would let go, the other two piling into the room as well. 

“We have a problem.” She said, closing the door behind them and locking it. Changkyun looked around to find Kihyun and Ravi, smiling faintly at them while he pulled the sweater back over the gun. Kihyun ran over to Minhyuk, helping him lower Wonho to the ground. He tried to get him to wake up as well, but nothing was happening. 

“What’s wrong, where are the others?” Hyungwon asked, Seulgi pacing in front of him with her crossbow rested over her shoulder. 

“The alarm went off because the public made it inside. It is a mess out there, we lost the others. Jooheon ran into his boss from SVCP and that’s when things got hazy.” Hyungwon reached out and stopped her, lifting the black hair out of her eyes to find blood. 

“What happened-?”

“There’s no time to worry about me. Tae, Hakyeon, Leo and Jooheon are out there somewhere, and we never leave behind a soldier.” She said, reaching up to grip onto Hyungwon’s hand and pull it down to his side. 

Changkyun kneeled down on the ground, pulling Wonho into his lap so he wasn’t laying on the cold tile. Min and Kihyun were up again and searching through cabinets for medical supplies that might help. The room seemed to be a part of the health section, but a lot of it contained things to kill vampires, not help them. He looked down at Wonho, tracing his fingers over the bruises on his face. He looked more pale than usual, like he’d lost a lot of blood. It’s not like they just kept blood bags around this place. 

That’s when it clicked. 

“I’m a blood bag.” All of them turned to stare at him, which is when Changkyun realized he spoke the thought out loud. 

“What the fuck are you talking about, kid?” Ravi asked, Seulgi stopping and looking down at him with wide eyes. 

“You’re right… That could work to fight the delphinium-“

“No. Neither of you are losing anymore blood-!” 

“Ravi hyung, give me something sharp. Please.” Changkyun cut Hyungwon off, both Min and Kihyun frozen as they looked on. Ravi just shrugged, pulling a pocket knife out and walking over to hand it to him. He kneeled in front of him, cocking his head to the side, his eyes suddenly going soft.

“You sure you have enough to do this? After last night?” He asked, Changkyun rolling up his sleeve and ignoring all of them. Hyungwon’s hands were on him again, but Seulgi pushed him off. They started to argue off to the side, which gave Changkyun time. 

“I’ll be fine. Go find Jaehwan. All this panic gives you an opening, I’m sure Leo is already on his trail.” Changkyun said, Ravi seeming unsure but nodding anyway. He reached out to pat Changkyun’s back before standing up to leave, hesitating at the door. 

“Both you and Wonho better be alive next time I see you. As alive as Wonho can get, that is.” With that he left, Min rushing to lock the door behind him.

Changkyun breathed in to steady himself and brought the knife to his wrist, cutting deep enough for a good amount of blood before moving his wrist to Wonho’s mouth. He didn’t react at first, but after a few seconds his eyes started fluttering. Kihyun knelt down behind Wonho, helping Changkyun hold his head up to his wrist. Once he regained his senses, his eyes opened and turned red, teeth automatically clenching down. Changkyun flinched, but held still as Wonho’s hands moved to hold onto his arm, the feeling of blood being taken from his vein feeling like a blur. He was so concentrated on helping Wonho, he must have blocked out the pain. When he finally started to feel it, Kihyun pulled Wonho off and told Changkyun to move away. Wonho’s eyes were still red, Kihyun’s arms now around his shoulders to keep him in place when he tried to go after Chang. He got up off the floor and got the bandage wrap Minhyuk found to put over the open wound. 

“Hey, come back Hoseok. I know you don’t want to hurt Changkyun.” Kihyun soothed, Wonho’s eyes slowly fading back to their normal color. Changkyun pulled his sleeve back down over the bandage, trying to keep his balance. Min walked over to his side, keeping him upright when he started to feel lightheaded. 

“Are you alright?” Changkyun asked Wonho, the guy’s eyes softening as Kihyun let go of him. 

“Kkukkungie?” He got up off the floor, stumbling towards Changkyun until his arms were around him. He buried himself in Changkyun’s shoulder like a lost child, still seeming a little out of it. Minhyuk kept his hand on Changkyun’s back, keeping him stable as Wonho put all of his weight on him.

“Yes, I’m here.” Changkyun said, wrapping his arms around him and rubbing his back. He’d never seen Wonho like this before, he seemed small. 

“But you’re hurt… I hurt you.” He mumbled, hugging him even tighter against his chest.

“This wasn’t you. All of it is my fault. I’m okay.” Changkyun said, kissing his temple before pulling back. Minhyuk reached out and ruffled Wonho’s hair, smiling at him, and Hyungwon walked up to wrap his arms around all three of them. 

 

Suddenly someone pounded on the door, followed by the sound of a key code being put in. Min pulled both Wonho and Chang behind him protectively, facing the door with Hyungwon at his side. His adrenaline suddenly skyrocketed again when thinking about protecting his friends, and Changkyun took the gun out of the back of his pants, stepping to the side of Min and lifting it up the way Hyungwon showed him. Seulgi rushed over and aimed her crossbow at the door as well, Kihyun standing next to her. Changkyun actually felt more confident in their ability to get out alive with all of these strong people around him. He took a deep breath, feeling Wonho’s hand on his waist, all of their eyes locked on the door. 

Waiting.


	12. Let Me Go Slowly

Kihyun remembered running. He remembered the room spinning, gunshots echoing in his head, people shouting. He remembered someone’s hand, a violent tug and a voice yelling his name as he couldn't keep his eyes from closing. He remembered the sight of the kid dragging Wonho away… but why was he dragging him away from him? The room was different, it wasn’t the same one they were in before… there were less of them. The screaming seemed far away, the hand pulling open his shirt felt numbing. He blinked his eyes again, falling back until his head was on someone’s lap. 

_It’s time to go, Jagiya._

Kihyun’s eyes focussed on Hyunwoo’s face above him, the screaming and the hands on his chest seeming a thousand miles away. He didn’t know how he ended up on the floor, or why it was hard to breathe, but he smiled up at Hyunwoo. Just looking at him was peaceful.

“Hyung, when did you get here?” He asked, hand reaching for Hyunwoo. It was hard to move, and he ended up coughing up some blood. Hyunwoo frowned at him, catching his hand in his and using his free hand to wipe his the blood off his mouth.

_I came to pick you up. If you keep lying around like this we’ll be late for our date._

Kihyun didn’t remember a date… he didn’t remember where he was or why he was lying there. But Hyunwoo felt safe, something about him was warm even though everything else in the room seemed cold. He wondered why he couldn’t feel anything, but it was only a fleeting thought.

“ _Aish,_ I keep forgetting things, hyung… Where are we going?” He asked with a pout, wondering why he couldn’t sit up or feel his legs. He saw Hyunwoo’s hand locked with his, but as hard as he tried he couldn’t feel it. Hyunwoo leaned down to kiss his forehead, but even that was different than he remembered. 

_It’s okay, soon you won’t need to remember anything anymore._

 

Suddenly the image of Hyunwoo above him began to fade and he felt a sharp pain in his chest as his eyes shot open and he coughed up more blood. His eyes locked with Minhyuk’s above him, everything disorienting and too bright. Hyunwoo was gone, and the hands on his chest were Min’s. There was blood everywhere, and every muscle seemed to be quitting on him one at a time. That’s when it all came back to him in the flash of a bullet.

He was dying.

“There, there stay with us hyung. Come on, you’ll be okay…”When he saw Minhyuk’s bleeding wrist he realized the blood he was coughing up wasn’t just his. He felt the initial panic set in and tried his best to catch his breath, but that seemed to make everything worse. Hyungwon was looking over Min’s shoulder, his eyes red and terrified. Kihyun couldn’t recall the last time he’d seen Hyungwon afraid… He felt another hand on his shoulder and turned to find Wonho, the boy a wreck of tears, Changkyun’s arms securely wrapped around his waist. The sight of all of them like this told him one thing: he wasn’t going to make it. If the blood wasn’t working to heal him, then nothing would. 

“Min…” He tried to say, reaching for Minhyuk’s hands to pull them away. He had been shot more than once, and each bullet was laced with Delphinium. It was all coming back to him now... Jongup aiming his gun at Minhyuk's chest, the silence of panic that filled the room, the guns aimed and ready. None of them knew how to react, and Kihyun did the only thing he could think to do, he jumped in front of him. He couldn’t let Minhyuk die… Now none of them could save him, and he knew that. Even if they used human blood, nothing would stop the effects of the delphinium, it was too high of a dose directly to the blood stream. He knew what he was getting into when he stepped in front of Min. He knew. 

“No, no no no no… I’m not letting you leave me too.” Min shouted shakily, Hyungwon moving behind Minhyuk to wrap his arms around him. 

“Min-“

“Please don’t leave me. Please, not you too-“ Kihyun reached up with the last bit of strength he had to grab onto Min’s hand, squeezing it. He wanted it to be a dream, he wanted the pain to be gone and Hyunwoo to be there again. Hyunwoo was always the one who saved him, and now he wasn’t there when he was dying. He didn’t want to go like this. Not now. He thought he was ready, but now that it was coming he was terrified. He wouldn’t change anything though, Min being alive was enough.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry… Tell Hyun…” Kihyun didn’t even know what to say, his heart sunk at the thought of not seeing Hyunwoo again. Tears filled his eyes when he realized what his death would do to him. “He knows. You all know.” He coughed up some more blood, finding it harder and harder to concentrate on Minhyuk’s face. The crying and gunshots seemed to get further away by the second, his hold on Minhyuk no longer there. He kept his eyes focussed on his boys, not wanting to leave them until he had to, even if he couldn’t feel them anymore. He thought of all the days him and Minhyuk walked to the graveyard, all the days he had to stop Wonho from hurting himself or doing something rash after Jooheon went off the deep end, all the times Hyungwon came to him wordlessly, just staying in the room for comfort when he couldn’t form the words to say. All the days they all helped him through Hyunwoo’s absence… He had spent so long taking care of these kids, and this was the last thing he could do for them.

Kihyun looked over at Wonho, the boy hardly able to keep his eyes on him. He wished he could make this part easy for them… he wished he could stop their pain just one more time. Ever since Hyunwoo took off, he hadn’t been the best at being there for them. He regretted that now. 

_Hyungwon-ah. I love you, all of you… so much. Please take care of them, tell Minhyuk he better bring me sunflowers too. And Hyunwoo… I’ve never loved anyone more, and now I never will._

Hyungwon had tears running down his cheeks but he nodded over Minhyuk’s shoulder, arms reaching around to hold onto his hand over Minhyuk’s. 

_I will._ _I love you too, hyung._

That was the last time Hyungwon’s annoying habit would find it’s way into Kihyun’s head, and the thought of it almost made Kihyun laugh. He hated Hyungwon being in his mind before, but now that he was losing it… he was losing himself… 

_Close your eyes, Jagiya. Follow my voice. You know that place you love by the river? Our first kiss… I’ll be waiting there. It’s time to go, Jagiya. You’ll be late again for our date._

Kihyun looked back up, the image of Shownu above him again. He smiled at him, taking in every inch of his face before he allowed his eyes to close. He found himself straying further from the pain and closer to Shownu’s voice. He finally stopped fighting, the hold of Min and Wonho’s hands now a whole world away as a bright light enveloped him. 


	13. Lay Me Down Softly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Done with the semester, so I should be able to update more frequently now. Kudos if you know what song these last two chapter titles are from (hint: it's not kpop)

The previously fluorescent hallway became dark from shot-out lightbulbs, all the white tile suddenly drowning in red streaks. Red was everywhere, from the flashing alarm lights reflecting in his eyes to the blood splattered on the floor and walls. Wonho looked down and found it on his hands, his shirt, his pants… it was everywhere. The smell was overpowering, he could feel his incisors coming out even as he was running next to Changkyun. He had to control it, he couldn’t let the smell and emotion overtake him. He couldn’t lose anyone else, especially not by his hand. 

Hyungwon ran in front of them, his hand locked around Wonho’s wrist to keep him moving. He didn’t want to leave, his family was still here, scattered throughout the institution. His brother needed him… what was left of his brother anyway. Wonho hadn’t noticed Changkyun was lagging behind until Hyungwon let go of him and pulled the kid onto his back in one swift movement. He wondered how he seemed so focused and calm after everything that just happened. He wondered how he could just leave Minhyuk behind with- how he could just leave. Everything was moving too fast, and even as his feet carried him forward, his heart didn’t want to. The old thing wasn’t even beating anymore, but somehow it felt like it was torn to pieces. 

Wonho didn’t know where Hyungwon was leading them, he hadn’t answered him verbally or mentally. He must be concentrating, it was as if he blocked Wonho out. Even with the weight of Changkyun, he still reached back to grab Wonho, ushering him ahead of him as they kept moving. It was chaotic, people were screaming, shots were echoing in corridors only yards away. The public had stormed their way in, and now it was just a mess of civilians against vamps and hunters alike. It had turned into a problem that was no longer under their control, all they had to focus on now was getting out. 

Suddenly Hyungwon shoved Wonho to the side, causing him to fall through a door. Barely even seconds later a gunshot went off, passing where Wonho just was and grazing Hyungwon’s arm. He groaned in pain, pulling Changkyun off his shoulders and pushing him inside before shutting the door behind him. Wonho didn’t have much time to react, by the time he was on his feet again Hyungwon was gone. He rushed towards the closed door anyway, shouting his brother’s name until hands grabbed his and spun him around. 

“Let’s go.” Seulgi was between him and the door now, strands of her hair falling in her eyes, her shirt and hands covered in blood. 

“I’m not leaving him-!”

“We’re _leaving_.” She said impatiently, eyes dark and focussed as she reached down to help Changkyun up, the kid resting against her side. She started guiding Changkyun towards the open window, hoping Wonho would follow, but he was still frozen in front of the door. Everything was red, there was red blood pooling under the door, red in his eyes as he struggled to keep his composure, red all over Changkyun and Seulgi. It seemed like one second stretched on for an hour, and when he turned to look at the two humans he was with, his mind started to become fuzzy. All he could think about was the red…

“Wonho. Come with me. It will be okay.” Changkyun said, moving away from Seulgi and standing in front of him with his hands up. “You don’t want to hurt us. I know you don’t. You would never hurt me.” He said calmly, Wonho fighting against the pounding in his head. He reached up and felt his mouth, his incisor puncturing his thumb. The room began to get smaller, all voices coming in like radio static as the pounding filled his ears, the hunger growing when he saw the bandage on Changkyun’ wrist.

_You can control it, brother._

His hands were shaking as he tried to hold back from reaching out and grabbing Changkyun, his vision completely red. The words in his head echoed like an alarm, slowly calming the pounding in his ears. Seulgi walked up cautiously beside Changkyun and put up her hands as well.

_They are afraid, you don’t want to hurt them._

“Come on oppa, we have to get you back home. You can control it.” Seulgi hushed as Changkyun reached out for Wonho’s hand. The second he touched him, his head began to clear, the hunger stilling at the back of his throat. Changkyun wasn’t afraid, he pulled Wonho closer, edging towards the window. Wonho concentrated on the touch and the voice repeating like a broken record in hid head, shutting his eyes and willing the red away.

“Wonho… I don’t feel so good.” Changkyun said, causing Wonho to open his eyes again and focus on him. He was swaying in place, seeming a lot paler than usual. All the red disappeared the second Changkyun fell into his arms, it was as if the hunger left the second he was hurt. Seulgi went to grab him, weary of Wonho, but he shook his head and picked Changkyun up in his arms. His mind was cleaning up again, and all he could concentrate on was Changkyun.

“Are you alright?” Seulgi asked, hand hovering above the crossbow on her back in case she needed to use it.

“He needs my help.” Wonho replied sternly, cradling Changkyun in his arms so he could see his face. Seulgi walked closer to feel the boy’s forehead.

“He’s burning up.” She said, taking one more look at Wonho. She reached out to pull his lip up on one side to check to see if his incisors were still out. Girl had no fear. 

“Okay, let’s go.” She said, nodding towards the open window. She jumped out first, helping Wonho out after her. Changkyun was Wonho’s priority, as much as he felt he needed to be inside that building and helping his brothers, he knew they would make it out. Changkyun might not be so lucky, he wasn’t the strongest in regards to all of them. 

“Come on, I’ll drive fast.” Seulgi said, turning around and jogging towards the car left at the gas station. When they’d almost made it to the car they heard the engine starting up, causing her to run faster. Wonho tried to keep up, squinting his eyes to see Taemin in the driver’s seat. Why would he be leaving without them? It didn’t make any sense. Seulgi took the crossbow off her back, shouting at her partner as he rolled up the window. 

“What the fuck are you doing?! Don’t leave us!” She yelled, Wonho noticing the car was already full when he drew closer. Key was in the passenger seat, Jongup and one of his men were in the back with a gun pointed at Taemin’s head. Wonho noticed Key had a gun in his lap as well. Just looking at the man who killed his brother filled him with so much rage the red started to come back. He carefully laid Changkyun down on the ground and ran towards the car with Seulgi. Taemin didn’t make eye contact with them, but tears were rolling down his cheeks as Seulgi screamed. 

“Key, you _coward_! Get out of the car and fight with dignity!” She had her crossbow raised at them, shooting to break the glass of the backseat window. It barely made a crack, and she wasn’t able to reload to try again before the car took off. Wonho chased after it, but both of them were too slow to keep up. 

“You _bastards_!” Seulgi fell to her knees on the pavement, screaming after them as the car disappeared out of sight. Wonho reached down to help her up, but she shrugged him off. Her jeans were ripped, knees bleeding from contact with the pavement. “I don’t know what to do… I- I need-“

“We’ll figure it out.” Wonho said when he saw tears welling in her eyes. She nodded, holding it in, rubbing her eyes angrily and picking up her crossbow to put it on her back. She took a deep breath, folding her arms over her chest, eyes set and focussed. Strong. Wonho understood why Hyungwon loved her so much. 

“Okay… new plan.” She said, blowing air into her cheeks as she began thinking of options. Wonho went back to Changkyun, checking his breathing before lifting him into his arms. “We need to get out of sight of VEX for now, it’s not safe.” Seulgi decided, taking her phone out of her back pocket and dialing a number. She nodded towards the other side of the gas station, Wonho understanding as he began jogging that way. Seulgi followed alongside him, phone to her ear as she whispered _please pick up_ under her breath at least twenty times. 

“Yeri-ah! Are you still with Joy?” Seulgi asked breathlessly, her body moving forward effortlessly. “Have Sungjae bring the car to VEX…. Yes, he knows, just get to the street… Don’t let Joy come- it’s too dangerous.” She stopped jogging suddenly, veering off towards the empty shop a few buildings past the gas station. She gestured for Wonho to follow, running off before he could catch what she was saying on the phone. He could feel his strength start to fail him. Holding Changkyun up wasn’t too hard, but the running was getting to him. He moved him to his back, trying to shift the weight, wrapping Chang’s arms around his shoulders. 

“Kyun, try to wake up for me.” He kept repeating, following Seulgi inside the building. She had shot the glass door with an arrow, breaking the rest of the glass around it until she could reach inside and unlock the door. Some of the glass cut her, making her arm bleed, but she didn’t seem to notice. Once inside she ushered Wonho in, shutting the door behind him and reaching to pull Changkyun off his back. 

“It’s okay, I got him-“

“You’re not at your strongest. Let me.” She interrupted, helping him lower Changkyun off his back so she could wrap his arm over her shoulder, keeping him upright. The shop was abandoned, the owners probably left with the other two thirds of the city once news got out about vampires. Seulgi struggled over to a booth, laying Changkyun down on the soft seat before turning back to Wonho. She noticed him staring at the blood on her arm, and hurriedly covered it up with her hand. Wonho quickly shifted his eyes away, trying not to make her uncomfortable.

“Must have cut it on the window. I’m going to look for some stuff in the back to bandage all of us up. Help is on the way, stay here and watch the door.” She said, rushing off behind the counter. Wonho walked over to the booth to check on Changkyun, taking off his jacket and putting it over him. His forehead was burning up, he must have passed out from the combination of blood loss and fever. Wonho could try to suffocate the fever out by keeping him warm, but that wouldn’t help his case in regards to a low blood count. The boy needed medical attention. 

He must have only been watching for a car for thirty minutes max before it showed up, driving into the parking lot at full speed. He called for Seulgi, but she was already ready, helping up Changkyun from the seat to hand him over to Wonho. The three rushed out the door to the car, stumbling into the backseat and shutting the doors after them. A young girl with short black hair was in the passenger seat, and once they were inside she turned around to grab ahold of Seulgi’s hand. 

“You’re hurt, unnie. What happened?” She asked, the bushy haired boy in the driver’s seat reversing out of the parking lot. 

“I told you not to let her come, Sungjae-ah! It’s too dangerous.” Seulgi shouted, leaning forward to kiss the girl on the forehead anyway. Sungjae kept his eyes on the road, going almost thirty over the speed limit, his eyes meeting theirs in the rearview mirror. 

“I’m sorry, but-“

“Don’t blame him, I wanted to come. I’m probably safer around you and oppa anyway.” The girl said, Seulgi groaning in response. She didn’t seem like she was in a mood to argue, none of them were. Wonho had never met Seulgi’s family before, but now was not exactly the right time for introductions. The girl must be her sister.

“Unnie didn’t specify who she was with. I’m Joy… that boy with you, is he okay?” Seulgi’s sister asked, her eyes focussed on Changkyun.

“He should be alright, we need to get him some medical attention though. I’m Wonho, and he’s Changkyun.” Wonho replied, catching Sungjae’s eye in the rearview again. “Do you know of any hospitals still open that aren't as overrun?” Joy looked over at Sungjae, reaching out to place her hand on his thigh. He seemed to think about the question for a moment, speeding past more people leaving the city, and running almost every red light.

“You’re friends with Jackson, right?”

“Yeah, but I don’t know if he’s still at the hospital, I would think his supply would be-“

“He’s not there anymore, no. But the hospital he worked at is still running. My buddy was just there yesterday.” Sungjae said, Wonho taken aback for a second at the sudden interruption. Something about the kid seemed familiar, but Wonho couldn’t pinpoint where he may have met him before.

“Um, that would be great… Sorry, do I know you?” He asked, trying not to seem rude, fingers anxiously moving through Changkyun’s hair. He had him cradled against his side, listening to his heartbeat the whole time. It was still too slow for his liking. 

“Oh, sorry, Yook Sungjae… you know my hyung-“

“-ahhhh Peniel’s kid.” Wonho said, Joy turning around to look at him questionably.

“You know oppa?” She asked, all of them shifting slightly in their seats when Sungjae turned the car too sharply.

“In passing, mostly through Jackson and them.” Wonho said, watching as Seulgi felt for Changkyun’s pulse. He knew they were going to have to split up, so he was glad she was there with them. He could trust Seulgi to take care of Changkyun, she was much stronger than he was… safer too.

“They aren’t going to be too keen on vampires walking into a hospital… I’m going to ask you to look out for Chang.” Wonho said, meeting Seulgi’s eyes. She nodded, looking back up at Sungjae and Joy. 

“Don’t worry, he will be okay. These two will take you to Shownu. I think you should be the one to tell him. Hyungwon told me once he gets out of there he’s heading home. We’ll all meet up there and figure out our next course of action.” Seulgi concluded, as if she were listing off orders like a soldier. Wonho leaned his head lightly against Changkyun’s, closing his eyes and listening to his breathing. He didn’t know how he was going to get through this day, just having a small moment of time to stop and breathe seemed almost wrong. He felt like he should be running, fighting, or doing anything helpful to the situation. Sitting in this car just waiting made him anxious. 

Thanks to Sungjae’s speeding it only took about fifteen minutes to get to the hospital. Joy got out of the car to help carry Changkyun in with Seulgi. Wonho realized when she returned that she was human too, but Sungjae definitely wasn’t. They were in the same boat, no wonder Seulgi didn’t want Joy out here. The remainder of the drive to Shownu’s was quiet. Wonho rested his head against the window, watching the sunset, and trying to clear his mind. Every minute seemed to last too long, and the closer he got to the house the more anxious he felt.

“I’m sorry for your loss… Seulgi told me.” Joy said quietly, breaking the silence as they came up to the curb outside Shownu’s apartment. Wonho forced a smile on his face, bowing in Joy’s direction. 

“Thank you. Thank both of you for your help as well. I know it’s dangerous to be out in the city right now.” He said as he opened the car door, Joy rolling down the window to say goodbye before the car drove off. Wonho took a deep breath before walking up to the door, going over hundreds of different ways to break the news to Shownu in his head, but not knowing which to choose. 

 

He walked inside to find his brother standing in front of the television, his cellphone clutched at his side. Shownu turned suddenly when he saw him, his eyes already red… something told Wonho he already knew.

“Where is everyone else?” Shownu asked quietly, the phone dropping from his hand and landing on the floor. Wonho bit his lip, trying not to break when he saw the desperate look in Shownu’s eyes.

“Separated. Most are okay-“

“-most?” Shownu interrupted, Wonho looking down at his feet as the room fell silent and only the voices of the broadcasters on the television filled the space.

_-huge attack on the VEX Institution. First responders recall running into a blood bath, vampires and human citizens both part of the revolt. So far there is not much known, but there are not many survivors-_

“He’s not answering his phone.” Shownu said dryly, dropping his prior question, his voice low as he looked back to the television. Wonho moved to pick up his phone from the floor, seeing countless outgoing calls to Kihyun in the log. The sight of it made him nauseous, and he didn’t even think the undead _could_ feel nauseous. All the things he had planned to say suddenly left, and the image of Kihyun trying his best to smile up at them one last time wouldn’t leave his head. He always had to be the strongest for them, up until his last moment. His last words continued to run through Wonho’s mind as he stared down at the miscalls. _Tell Hyun… He knows. You all know._ Even facing his death Kihyun still managed to leave these open-ended. Hyungwon probably knew.

“I- I felt something was wrong. Something feels off. Is he-?” Shownu stopped short when Wonho started to cry next to him. “Kihyunie… he’s-” Shownu’s voice was weak, trailing off as though he didn't want to actually say the words. Kihyun was dead. He knew it, Wonho had seen it, but neither could say the words. Wonho just nodded as tears fell down his cheeks, stumbling forward into Shownu. The older didn’t react at first as Wonho clung to him, crying against his chest. It was as if it hadn’t actually hit him yet, he stood as still as a statue. 

“I’m so sorry, there was nothing we could do. He said to tell you… he said-” Wonho couldn’t finish the sentence, pulling back to look up at Shownu, trying to will his tears to stop. He put his hands on Shownu’s arms, watching worriedly as the realization started to pass in front of his eyes. 

“He didn’t make it, did he?” Shownu asked, looking past Wonho at the news broadcast, eyes unblinking. His hands were shaking, and Wonho could see his composure starting to fail him. 

“He didn’t make it, he didn’t-“ he finally broke down in sobs and Wonho pulled Shownu into him, his arms wrapping around his back and holding on tightly. For someone who was always a father-type figure to Wonho, seeing him break like this was worse than he could imagine. He’d never seen him cry before… he never thought he would.

He tried his best to comfort Shownu, but he couldn’t imagine how he felt. When he finally pulled away from Wonho, he took the phone from him, thoughtlessly dialing and redialing Kihyun’s number. Wonho tried to take it back, but Shownu walked away. He collapsed on the couch and just listened to the voicemail go off again and again before he doubled over in a scream. It was bloodcurdling, Wonho actually backed up a few steps, flinching at the sound. He didn’t know what to do anymore. He worried about Changkyun, he couldn’t get the image of Kihyun’s dead eyes out of his head, and now he didn’t know how to help the man who had always put so much effort into taking care of him. He was useless.

Suddenly the front door opened and they both turned to see Hyungwon walking inside, Jooheon and Minhyuk following behind him. All three were covered in blood and cuts, Jooheon carrying Kihyun’s body in his arms. Shownu stood up from the couch very slowly, his legs shaking as he took a few steps towards their family. Wonho reached out to help him, but Shownu shook his head and pulled away. His face was serious, almost eerily empty, when he got to Jooheon. Jooheon bowed his head before handing over Kihyun’s body to Shownu, everyone falling silent. They all seemed afraid Shownu would break at any moment, but Wonho knew he was already broken.

“How… did this happen?” Shownu seethed, looking up at the three of them. Tears started rolling down Minhyuk’s cheeks and he suddenly ran back out the door without saying anything. Jooheon was about to go after him, but Hyungwon caught his arm. 

“H-he saved Minhyuk. Traded his life.” Hyungwon stuttered, reaching out to put his hand on Shownu’s shoulder. “Jongup shot a gun loaded with delphinium bullets… it was Kihyun’s choice to save Min. I’m sorry none of us were faster.” Shownu suddenly dropped to the ground as if the weight of losing Kihyun finally got to him. He cradled his body in his arms, hiding his face in his chest as more guttural sobs escaped his throat. Jooheon tried to reach for him, but he slapped his hand away in anger. 

“Get him _away_ from me! I don’t want him in my house!” Shownu shouted harshly, Jooheon stumbling backwards with wide eyes. “He isn’t our family anymore.” Hyungwon looked from Jooheon to Wonho, trying to figure out what to do. 

“Hyung, I-“

“I said _get him out_!” Tears filled Jooheon’s eyes and he took one last look at all of them before running out the open door. Hyungwon watched him go, his hands outstretched, standing as if he were deciding whether to follow him or not. He lowered his hands back to his sides and cautiously knelt down in front of Shownu.

“Hyung, you’re thinking irrationally right-“

“Don’t make me tell you to leave too, Chae.” Shownu interrupted angrily, Hyungwon flinching at the tone. He nodded and stood back up, stepping away from Shownu to give him space as he began to rock back and forth, Kihyun clutched to his chest. Wonho stood there motionless, his eyes catching Hyungwon’s. He knew he didn’t have the answer either, they were both at a loss. 

“Where’s Changkyun and Seulgi?” Hyungwon asked with worried eyes as he walked over to Wonho, anxious hands traveling over him to check for any new wounds.

“Seulgi took him to the hospital. They're okay… Are you alright?” Hyungwon tried to smile so Wonho wouldn’t worry, nodding his head even as tears filled his eyes.

“Yeah… yeah, I’m fine.” He lied, his hands stopping on Wonho’s shoulders. Wonho just shook his head, knowing him better than that, and grabbed ahold of his arms to pull him into a hug. Hyungwon broke down the second he collapsed against him.

_I don’t know what to do. I usually know how to help all of you, but I… I don’t. And his thoughts, they’re unbearable, I can’t block them out they’re so loud. So loud._

Hyungwon’s thoughts starting flowing into Wonho’s head, and he pulled him away at arms length, looking him in the eye as he saw his brother start to cry. It was not a common sight. 

_It’s not your job to help all of us. Come on._

He took Hyungwon’s hand and pulled him out the open door, getting away from Shownu’s muffled sobs that began to fill the living room. He was like a ticking time bomb, anyone around him right now would just be in the destruction radius. 

“Let go, we can’t just leave him!” Hyungwon said, tripping over his own feet as Wonho dragged him away from the house and further down the sidewalk. He didn’t answer him, just kept walking until Hyungwon stopped dead in his tracks and pulled Wonho back. “We _can’t_ leave.” He said again, turning Wonho sharply to face him.

“Just for a second. Get the thoughts out of your head. Concentrate on me, on the words I’m saying out loud to you. Just that.” Wonho said, eyes scanning their current surroundings to make sure there wasn’t any immediate danger. Hyungwon began to realize what he was trying to do, his composure relaxing the slightest bit as he let go of Wonho’s hand. 

_“_ Fine, a second, we can’t leave him long.”

Wonho stepped forward, reaching up to wipe a tear off Hyungwon’s cheek. He hated seeing his family like this, but the connection he had to Hyungwon made it ten times worse.

“Everything is going to be alright, we always find a way out. Changkyun is being treated right now, Seulgi will probably get her head checked out while she’s there, and when they come back they’ll be okay. Jooheon is back to being Jooheon, and that will be hard for a few people, or really all of us, but either way he’s back. He won’t cause anymore harm. It may take a while, but Minhyuk will start to realize that, which is exactly what he needs right now. The world might be in fucking chaos, but we have each other. This family isn’t going anywhere, Kihyun wouldn’t want that.” Wonho started, reaching out to put his hand on Hyungwon’s shoulder. 

“And you… you are the strongest one out of all of us, don’t even try to disagree with me. I know I don’t say these things out loud a lot, but it’s true. You put up with all of our minds twenty four seven, and that’s a hard thing to deal with. Half the time I don’t even want to know what’s in my own mind. But for that reason, you know us better than anyone. You help us everyday in ways you might not even realize, you don’t have to put the pressure on yourself alone to help everyone when tragedy happens. Let us help you. You can fall apart too… let me help you. Let Seulgi help you, and hold onto her. Don’t let her go again because you’re trying to help her. Think about yourself for a moment. It’s okay. It’s all going to be okay. I promise.”

Hyungwon started crying again, and Wonho was worried he put too much out there. He reached out to wipe the tears away, but Hyungwon caught his hands and pulled him back into his chest, holding onto him as cars passed them on the street and sirens went off in the distance.

“Thank you.”

~

Hours passed by before Seulgi made it home with Changkyun. Shownu had moved Kihyun into their room, trying to decide what to do with his body. Hyungwon sat on the living room couch, wearing headphones and listening to music really loudly to try to block out Shownu’s thoughts. Wonho paced in front of the door, calling Minhyuk’s phone to no avail. The two were gone, and after Shownu’s reaction towards Jooheon, they probably weren’t coming back.

A knock on the door made Wonho stop pacing, Hyungwon noticing this and taking his headphones out. 

“I’d appreciate if you let us in, boys, it’s a little dangerous out here for two humans.” Seulgi’s voice called through the door. Hyungwon jumped off the couch and ran to the door before Wonho could get his hand on the knob, opening it and pulling Seulgi into his arms so fast she yelped in surprise. Wonho took a step back as he twirled her around, Seulgi laughing at his sudden change in attitude. 

“Thank god you’re okay.” Hyungwon said, voice muffled against her shoulder as he slowly lowered her down. She kept her arms wrapped around his shoulders, toes barely touching the ground because Hyungwon was still holding her up slightly as he hugged her. Changkyun smiled at the two of them, patting Hyungwon on the back as he walked around him to get to Wonho.

“You really scared me.” Wonho whispered as he reached out to grab his hands, pulling him into his arms effortlessly. 

“You can’t get rid of me that easy.” Changkyun laughed, kissing Wonho’s temple before hiding his face in his neck.

“I had to sneak that stubborn kid out of there. They helped with the blood, and cleaned up some of the visible wounds, but when they asked to check the rest of his body he refused. I know damn right he’s hiding a problem, but thanks to my charm we have the antibiotics anyway.” Seulgi said, her feet finally back on the ground as Hyungwon stood behind her, arms around her waist and chin rested on her head. Changkyun pulled back from Wonho, turning around to meet Hyungwon’s stare. He must have said something to him. 

“I can’t.” He replied to an unheard question. “I’ll be fine-“

“You had a 102 fever, you’re not fine.” Seulgi interrupted, giving him the same look a mom would. Wonho reached for Changkyun’s shoulder, turning him towards him. 

“What are you trying to hide from them. We need to help you.” He said, looking at Hyungwon out of the corner of his eyes. He already knew. 

“Antibacterial ointment for the already healing wounds, peroxide only for the newest ones. Those don’t seem to be the problem.” Hyungwon said matter-of-factly, moving past them and into the kitchen to look through their medical cabinet. Seulgi followed to help, handing the bottle of medicine to Wonho on her way there. Changkyun just stood in place, shaking his head at Wonho.

“It’s alright, I can do it myself. Just gotta put on some new bandages, take some medicine, and sleep. I should be fine by morning.” Changkyun said in a rush as Wonho grabbed ahold of his arm and led him towards the bathroom. “Trust me, it’s nothing bad.” He continued, but Wonho knew he was lying. He sat him down on the edge of the tub before moving to start running hot water in the sink. 

“Take your pants off.” Wonho said, kneeling down in front of Chang. 

“Now is really not the time-“

“You know what I mean, Kyun. Hyungwon told me your thighs have been infected for awhile, we need to clean and dress the wounds regularly. If it’s too hard for you, you need to let me help.” Wonho interrupted, Changkyun shaking his head. 

“I have antibiotics-“

“That will help, but we need to get you healed up too. We don’t have time to argue about this, kid.” Hyungwon said from the doorway, throwing some supplies at Wonho. He must have said something in Changkyun’s head, because he nodded to him before Hyungwon left and shut the bathroom door, leaving the two of them alone. 

“It’s just me.” Wonho said, holding onto Changkyun’s knees gently when he started to nervously tap his foot. “You need to let me help, I’m not taking no for an answer, you know we can’t stay here long-“

“Okay. Okay well, let’s talk about something else. Anything else.” Changkyun said, his voice sounding a little off. Wonho didn’t quite understand at first, but Changkyun was already pulling his jeans off, his eyes on the ceiling above him. “Don’t leave me hanging here-“

“I can talk about anything?” Wonho asked, helping Chang pull his pants off the rest of the way. The boy seemed to tense up as more skin was exposed.

“Yes, anything, just _talk_ please-“

“Well… there’s this boy I met about a year ago.” Wonho started, a smile in his voice even though his heart dropped when he saw the damage done to Changkyun’s legs. Changkyun didn’t respond to him, he just bit his lip and continued to look away as Wonho’s hands traced above the worst of the wounds. He tried not to let it get to him, Chang was struggling enough as it was, now wasn’t the time to get angry at what Jooheon did in the past. Where his lips had been, where he hurt him.

“I was working, it was just a boring day with hardly any costumers. And this boy, a boy with the cutest dimples, walked in and put on an apron.” Wonho continued, Changkyun’s hand moving from where it was clenched around the side of the tub to find Wonho’s shoulder when Wonho dabbed the worst bite with warm water. 

“He was beautiful. Shaggy dark hair that never seemed brushed, yet always looked perfect. A cute mole on his neck, and always in oversized clothing that made him look so small. If I hadn’t already tripped over myself the first time he walked in that door, I definitely would have fallen for him the first time he spoke to me.” Changkyun’s hand tightened on Wonho’s shoulder and he looked up to find him still looking at the ceiling, tears starting to run down his cheek. 

_Careful, it brings back memories of Jooheon._

_I don’t know what to say-_

_Not the story, the wounds. He doesn't want to look at them because it reminds him of what happened that night._

_Oh._

Wonho added some soap to the warm water, trying to be as gentle as he could. The bites and cuts were definitely infected, they hadn’t been cared for at all. All he could do was clean them up as best he could and put new bandages on them everyday. Hyungwon had told him before that trying to bandage them up while staying at Hojoon’s place sent Changkyun into a panic attack. He was hoping he could distract him enough so that wouldn’t happen.

“As the months passed, his world seemed to be getting a little darker, but he never stopped smiling. I’ve been alive for… kind of a long time. But I’ve only met a few people as strong as him. Seriously.” Wonho said, putting an anti-bacterial pad over the biggest gash. Changkyun was quiet, his legs shaking every time Wonho touched him. “I promised I’d take care of this boy, and I let him down… a lot.” Wonho continued, wrapping gauze around his thigh to keep the pad on. He did the same to the other one, finishing up the remaining bandages. “But now that I have him in my arms again, I swear I’m never letting go-“

“-but he’s not the same anymore, is he?” Changkyun interrupted suddenly, his hand leaving Wonho. “He’s not…”

“Not what?” Wonho asked, sitting back on his heels and looking up at Chang. 

“Beautiful.” Changkyun whispered, finally looking down at Wonho, his eyes red. He looked from Wonho to his thighs, tracing his hand over the gauze, his breathing starting to quicken. “He’s… broken and used. Damaged goods, that’s all that’s left.” The tears fell faster and Changkyun looked away again, biting his lip angrily as if he was upset that he was showing weakness. Wonho didn’t even know how to respond, he was taken aback. He was finally starting to realize why it was so hard for Changkyun to show these wounds.

_Stop sitting there like an idiot, tell him he’s wrong before I come in and do it for you, dumbass._

_I can do it, Wonie._

“Changkyun, you know that’s-“

“No. You’ve seen it now. Just tell me.” Wonho was scared he wouldn’t be able to find the right words, but he couldn’t continue to let Changkyun’s panic rise. He could tell him he was beautiful a million times over, and the words still wouldn’t sink in all the way. Wonho took a deep breath, moving closer between his knees and wrapping his arms around his waist. Changkyun seemed a little uneasy about it, so he took everything slow. Kihyun always used to tell him action spoke more than words did, maybe it was time to heed his advice. 

“Listen to me.” Wonho said softly, looking up at Changkyun as his hands gently traced his sides. “I think every inch of you is beautiful… like here.” Wonho leaned in to kiss the the inside of his thigh, right next to one of the bandages. Changkyun froze, his hand resting on Wonho’s back.

“And here…” he moved to kiss the top of that thigh, and then the top of the other, “here-” his hands lifted Changkyun’s shirt, leaving soft kisses along the bottom of his stomach, slowly pulling the shirt off and over Chang’s head to reveal older healed wounds and shadows of bruises. 

“God, here especially…” He breathed, trailing kisses up Changkyun’s chest as he pulled the boy down into his lap. His arms wrapped around his back slowly, hands tracing over as much of him as he could, taking in everything at once. 

“Every-“ he kissed his collarbone, underneath the wound left there, Changkyun’s breath catching in his throat, “single-“ he moved up to kiss above the bandage on his neck, lips quickly moving to the underside of his jaw so he wouldn’t overstep his boundaries, “inch.” His lips finally trailed up to find Changkyun’s, kissing him slowly as if he were relearning the way he moved against him. He hadn’t kissed him like this since before that night Jooheon took him. He was too worried Changkyun wasn’t ready… or that Wonho didn't deserve to kiss him at all. But having him in his arms now, hands moving up to the back of his head to bring him in even closer, it was as easy as breathing. Chang followed him without hesitation, deepening the kiss without stopping to think, his whole body finally relaxing into Wonho. 

When Wonho pulled back he left small kisses along Changkyun’s cheeks, nose, eyelids, forehead, and the tips of his ears… just like the first time. There were still tears on his cheeks, so he kissed them away too, Changkyun beginning to laugh at the obsessive amount of kisses. 

“I love you.” Wonho said seriously, realizing it was the first time he’d ever told Changkyun that. Chang stopped smiling to stare at him for a second before he fell back against his chest, arms wrapping around his shoulders.

“I love you too.”


	14. From Zero

_Two weeks later ~_

Minhyuk sat on the bed in the motel room, staring at the beige wallpaper in front of him. He kept wishing this was all a nightmare, and soon he’d be waking up to Jooheon’s obnoxious shower singing from two years ago. He couldn’t just run away this time, he decided this for himself. He had to watch over Jooheon, he was his responsibility, and he’d just lost his family. It has been a few long weeks since they lost Kihyun and Shownu disowned Jooheon, and every day seemed to drag on longer than the one before. Everyone going their separate ways after Kihyun made it harder for them to be tracked down, but also harder for Minhyuk to escape the inevitable. He wished Hyungwon had some wisdom to put into his mind right now, but he couldn’t face them yet. It was his fault.

He fell back against the bed… waiting. Jooheon wasn’t supposed to be taking this long, but he tried not to worry. It has been a few days since everything went down, and they still haven’t talked much since they lost Kihyun. Jooheon was most likely blaming himself, because it was Jongup who shot the gun. But it was Minhyuk who Kihyun jumped in front of, so the both of them could be at fault if they thought about it long enough. They weren’t able to find Jongup that day, and Jooheon has been angry since.

Minhyuk jumped when the door finally opened. Jooheon paused in the doorway, a bag on his wrist and eyes on Minhyuk’s shocked expression. He said _sorry_ under his breath and quietly closed the door behind him.

“Where have you been?” Min asked as Jooheon set the bag down on the table.

“I told you, the store. I just got held up-“

“-what did I tell you about picking fights?” Min interrupted, looking to see the blood on Jooheon’s knuckles. Jooheon just shrugged in response as Minhyuk got up from the bed and walked over to him. He didn’t look to be in the mood for fighting, so he let Minhyuk pick up his hand to look at it. 

“I didn’t like the way this guy was looking at me, sorry.” Jooheon answered, Min glaring up at him as he ran his finger over the hurt knuckle. Jooheon winced and Minhyuk pressed down harder. “Hey! What the fuck, give it time to heal, dude.” 

“I will if you listen to me.” Min argued, dropping his hand angrily and turning to walk outside. “We can’t leave a trail, too much is at stake.” With that he slammed the door behind him, walking out onto to porch area of the shitty motel and going through his pockets to find his cigarettes. He lit one and brought it up to his lips, leaning against the wall. Every night he wanted to try to reach out to Jooheon, and every night he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He felt like he was crumbling with every passing minute, and all he could do was disguise it as anger. 

It was mostly an act. The second he watched Kihyun die, the first person he wanted to see was Jooheon. His Jooheon, the Jooheon that somehow could make every situation better. He wanted to find that Jooheon again, but he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to. Every night he wanted so badly to forget everything that happened and just climb into bed with him. But all he could do was yell. 

The door opened and Jooheon walked outside with a bottle of cheongju, tapping Min’s shoulder with it. 

“You know, I used to have to tell you those were bad for you… but I guess since you’re already dead there’s no point now.” Jooheon said, trying to force a smile on his face when Minhyuk turned to look at him. He rolled his eyes when Jooheon handed over the bottle, so this was what he went to the store to get.

“Cheongju, huh?” Minhyuk said, turning the bottle over in one hand and remembering the first night Jooheon asked him on a real date. Dorm life dating didn’t always have its perks, and neither of them had the money to go out to a restaurant. Jooheon set up a small fold-out table on the roof of their dorm one night, equipped with a bottle of cheongju, his best try at cooking better ramen, and a bunch of blankets. Minhyuk remembered being so happy about the cheongju, because he was tired of knocking back the terrible tasting soju they kept hidden in their closet. 

Minhyuk handed the bottle back to Jooheon before taking another hit of the cigarette. He could feel Jooheon’s eyes watching him, and it started to make him feel unsteady with what he was about to do. He tried to picture him as who he was before all this happened. Every part of him wanted to throw his arms around him and just hold on and pretend like nothing happened, but he something was still holding him back. 

“I thought you might want to drink with me tonight.” Jooheon said cautiously when Min blew smoke into the air. Jooheon actually looked nervous trying to talk to him, Min hadn’t seen that look on his face in years. They haven't had many conversations that didn’t lead to fighting recently, Min had a habit of letting his emotions get the best of him. He just wanted to understand, to know for sure if his Jooheon was or wasn’t there. It was easier to lash out than talk about it. He mainly didn’t want to know if Jooheon chose to do what he did, incase of the small chance he meant it all. He couldn’t take losing him for good right after Kihyun. He needed him, now more than ever. 

“You still have your bad coping mechanisms. Come inside and actually get some fun out of it.” Jooheon continued, taking the cigarette from him and flicking it away. Minhyuk just glared at him, reaching into his pocket for another one.

“That is your idea of fun?” He asked, nodding to the alcohol, not meaning for it to come out as harsh as it sounded. Jooheon sighed and put the bottle down on the ground, moving to stand in front of Minhyuk so he had to look at him. He grabbed his wrist before he got grab another cigarette. Having him this close, his eyes focused on him, made Minhyuk’s knees feel weak. It made him sad that simply standing in front of the person who used to make everything better tore him up this much. 

“It’s better than smoking-“

“-why do you care, it’s not like I’m kissing you anymore.” Minhyuk snapped, Jooheon shaking his head as he took the pack of cigarettes out of Min’s pocket.

“Well… why not?” Jooheon asked, stepping even closer to him as he shoved the pack into his pocket. Min backed up, wondering why Jooheon was acting so different tonight. He hasn’t been like this at all, but even as his voice carried confidence, his eyes were still sad.

“Why not? You tell me.” Minhyuk said sternly, trying to keep himself together while Jooheon looked seconds away from falling apart.

“I want to know if you really meant it, ’you mean nothing to me’… your words not mine. I’m sick of walking on eggshells around whatever is left of _this_.” Jooheon gestured to the space between Min and him in irritation before trying to walk away, but Min reached out and grabbed him by his shirt to keep him there. He recalled the day he said that. He was upset, of course he was upset, he still didn’t understand what was happening. He thought he’d lost Jooheon for good, he thought Jooheon had made up his own mind, that all the bad things he did were his decision alone. He thought he actually _wanted_ Changkyun… in every way. He thought he didn’t love him anymore.

“I didn’t know.” He said, one hand moving up to rest on the back on Jooheon’s head out of habit. He noticed it when Jooheon’s eyes widened and quickly pulled away. “When you were… you said the same things to me. I want to know now… Just tell me one thing.” He continued, Jooheon nodding his head. Minhyuk took a breath, realizing Jooheon’s hands were halfway reaching for him in hesitation. 

“Anything.” Minhyuk bit his lip, trying to will himself to ask it. He couldn't get the thought out of his mind, it has been eating him away since day one. 

“Did you ever stop loving me?” Minhyuk asked, biting his lip harder in an attempt to keep himself together even as tears started falling down his cheeks. Jooheon’s jaw went slack, the hurt in his eyes was almost unbearable. Minhyuk was about to walk away, knowing it was too much to ask, but Jooheon grabbed him and pulled him into his chest so hard it almost hurt. 

“Never. Never never never _never_.” He said into his shoulder, Min finally letting himself break down for the first time since Kihyun’s death. His fingernails gripped so hard into Jooheon’s back he was sure he was leaving a mark, but he felt like if he let go of him he’d fall over. “God, never. And I never will. Whatever I said, whatever I did… that wasn’t me.” Jooheon kept repeating himself, his voice low and close to Min’s ear, the feeling taking him back to a time when things weren't this hard. “I’m sorry you thought that could be a possibility. I love you, I love you, god I love you so much, Minhyuk.” 

They stayed like that for a long time, Minhyuk unable to say anything else that he had been planing to say for two weeks now. Jooheon must understand, he must know. When he finally pulled away from the hug he felt unbalanced, Jooheon reaching out to grab ahold of his shoulders to keep him steady.

“I… can we talk?” Jooheon asked hesitantly, eyeing the door next to them. 

“I’ve been hoping you’d ask that.” They both went back into the poorly lit motel room, and Minhyuk felt like his chest was about to combust with every breath. He sat down on the edge of the bed, wringing his hands together in an attempt to calm himself down, Jooheon eyeing him worriedly as he set the bottle down on the table.

“If you’re not-“

“No… No I need to talk to you because-“ Minhyuk trailed off when his voice caught, hearing the gunshot go off in his head. Jooheon knelt down in front of him, hands on his thighs comfortingly. He was looking up at him in such a way that Minhyuk swore he saw the Jooheon he used to know, as if he time traveled back to freshmen year of university when he made a bad test score and Jooheon comforted him. His boundaries started to fall down the more he thought about that Jooheon. His Jooheon. 

“-because I can’t- I cant do this without you… not now. He’s gone, because of me, and I’m so afraid of loosing more people that I love. I don’t want you to be one of them, but slowly that’s what you’re becoming. And I’m scared.” Minhyuk said, trying to get out the words as best he could, although the sobs forming in his chest weren’t helping. “I don’t know what to do, I don’t know what to think, I don’t… I just don’t-“ Minhyuk fell forward into his hands, trying to hide his face from Jooheon as he continued crying. He always hated when he cried. He got emotional too often, and was never able to control it once it started. He felt the bed shift and the hands leave his thighs as Jooheon sat down next to him, his arm wrapping around his shoulder to bring him closer. 

“It’s not your fault he’s gone. Some things… some things happen that we can’t control. Life has a funny way of knocking us done when we’re already six feet under. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine. He was aiming at you because of me, Kihyun chose to jump in front of you because he loved you. He wouldn’t want you to feel like you failed him. I would have done the same for you in a heartbeat.” Jooheon said, hand moving to brush his fingers through Minhyuk’s hair as Min hid his face against his chest. He used to do the same back when they were in university together, the same when Minhyuk didn’t now how to handle what Jooheon was, the same when he didn’t know how to handle himself, the same when his sister died. It was the same voice, the same touch, the same warmth. He was the same Jooheon.

“And me… you might chose to lose me. I deserve that. But I’ll never stop loving you, I can’t. It’s all I have.” Jooheon continued, his voice getting softer with every word. Min pulled back to look at him, reaching out to wipe Jooheon's tears away out of habit. All of his actions were muscle memory. Even though part of him was still upset and worried if Jooheon was even telling the truth, another part of him was still weak under his gaze. His hands wanted to touch him, his lips wanted to kiss him, his arms wanted to hold him… 

“I miss you.” Min’s voice cracked, and he tried not to let his thoughts drag him away again. “We have an eternity ahead of us to figure this out. I’m not giving up yet.” They were words he thought he’d never say. If he couldn’t trust Jooheon’s word that none of what he did was in his control, even after finding the man who set it all up, what could he trust? But there was one thing… one thing he had to know for sure. “But…”

“What is it?” Jooheon asked, Min reaching out to find Jooheon’s hand, fingers tracing over his knuckles. 

“Changkyun.” Min answered, keeping his eyes on Jooheon’s hand, unable to look at him. “I need to know-“

“I told you, I never had feelings for him. I barely even recall the things I did.” Jooheon said, reaching out to lift Minhyuk’s chin up so he would look at him. “It haunts me what I did, and the fact that I can’t really remember most of it… I realize just how bad it must have been from the looks you guys give me now. It terrifies me. But I never loved him, I never wanted him in anyway, I didn’t even really know him.” Minhyuk leaned forward, resting his forehead against Jooheon’s as he let out a sigh of relief. 

“Promise?” Minhyuk asked, not knowing what else to ask in this situation. 

“I promise. Leaving you that night was the second hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.” Jooheon had his fingers in Minhyuk’s hair again, brushing through the knots like it was just another Tuesday night. “I knew that night it would be the last time I’d have you in my arms. You looked so peaceful, content, beautiful…” Jooheon tried to smile when Minhyuk pulled back, looking over his head as if he were picturing a memory.

“What was the first hardest thing?” Minhyuk asked, feeling like he already knew. Jooheon’s eyes hesitantly found his again, hand coming down to find Minhyuk’s. 

“When I turned you.” Jooheon said, hands dropping back down to his sides. 

Minhyuk didn't say anything, he just nodded in understanding. He needed Jooheon, every time he closed his eyes he saw the blood, heard the gunshots, watched his brother fall at his feet with three holes in his chest. Min just moved to pick up the bottle of cheongju from where Jooheon set it down in front of them. He opened it and took a swig, coughing at the bitter taste. Jooheon laughed beside him before taking the bottle out of his hand and getting up from the bed to walk over to the table. He pulled out some plastic cups from the bag and poured the drink in each, before pulling a blood bag out of his back pocket and halving them both. 

“You know better than anyone you can’t get drunk without this.” Jooheon said, turning back around and handing a cup to Min before he sat back down. Minhyuk went to chug it, but Jooheon grabbed his wrist to stop him. “Slowly.” 

“I want to get it out of my head. All of it.” Minhyuk whispered, looking down at the liquid. “It used to be the only thing that helped when you were gone. But… there’s no way to erase what happened to Kihyun.” Minhyuk threw back the liquor, finishing at least half the cup before Jooheon caught his hand again. 

“I’m sorry I caused you to drink-“

“Please just… don’t. Let’s start over. I need to start over.” Min said, watching Jooheon nod before drinking some of the cheongju.

“Okay. Whatever you want. Just tell me. Honestly, I don’t deserve-”

“Don’t say that. It wasn’t you. We can’t turn it back, but we can start over.” Minhyuk said quietly, downing the rest of his drink before dropping the empty cup at his feet. His head was already feeling a bit lighter, and he needed a distraction before he broke down again.

“That will be hard-“

“-kiss me.” Minhyuk interrupted suddenly, taking the drink out of Jooheon’s hand and chugging that too, Jooheon staring at him in surprise as he dropped the empty cup on the floor. Minhyuk moved back on the bed, reaching for Jooheon’s shirt to pull him closer.

“Min-“

“Like it’s the first time. Please.” He looked up at him hopefully, pushing away all the thoughts trying to create hesitation in him again. He pulled Jooheon, his hands wanting him as close as he could get him, breath quickening as Jooheon followed.

“Minhyuk-“

“Just… don’t think. Kiss me.” He said again, Jooheon cautiously positioning himself over Min’s lap and leaning down so that his face was inches away.

“This isn’t a good idea.” Jooheon breathed, but his eyes were focussed on Min’s lips already. 

“This is zero. We’re starting over. Let’s not think anymore.” Minhyuk said, lifting his arm to place a hand around Jooheon’s neck to close the space between them even more. His hand was shaking, either from nerves, fear, or anticipation. Minhyuk wasn’t going to let it stop him. 

“Jagiya, zero usually means a date or-“

“Fucking kiss me already.” He breathed, Jooheon’s lips finding Min’s so quickly the impact almost hurt.


	15. Bloodlust

Changkyun paced in the living room of the small room, worried why Wonho wasn’t back yet. They were on the outskirts of the city, staying in Ravi’s apartment while he was back at home trying to solve family issues. He understood they needed some space after everything that happened, and they needed somewhere away from VEX and away from home. It took some convincing to get Wonho to leave Shownu, but Shownu had decided he would be leaving too. None of them knew if Kihyun was being buried or cremated, Shownu took the body with him and disappeared without a word. Hyungwon was staying home at their apartment with Seulgi, the two trying to track down SVPC headquarters so they could get Taemin back and face Jongup. No one had even heard from Minhyuk or Jooheon. 

The world was falling apart one day at a time, the hospitals were overrun, and they couldn’t get blood bags anymore. Wonho had run out a week ago, and Changkyun could spot the differences in him. Between the grief and the hunger, he kept pushing Chang away, and it was beginning to get tense. He wouldn’t talk, he’d sleep on the couch, and if he came home late with black eye he’d stay clear of Changkyun’s questions. 

“Hyung please pick up.” Changkyun was sat on the floor now, back against the couch, holding the phone up to his ear. His wrist was still bleeding so he wrapped it in the bottom of his shirt, tears falling down his face as he listened to the phone ring. 

“Please please please….” It kept ringing. Wonho left. He’d never seen him so mad.

Chang had lost his temper when Wonho came home late. Chang had been trying to call him for hours, and he’d started to think he wasn’t coming home this time. They were supposed to stay low, out of the public eye, especially now that VEX had a file on both of them. His wounds wouldn’t heal without blood, and he kept getting himself into fights every night, which just made it more difficult for him to heal. Something about the way he looked coming back each night made it clear he wasn’t fighting back. He never had blood on his knuckles, all the blood on him was his own. One night he even showed up with a bite mark on his neck, that one Changkyun was curious about, but Wonho wouldn’t talk. 

So a few hours ago when Wonho showed up with a bloody lip and cut on his forehead, they got into an argument. Changkyun didn’t let him just walk away this time, he cornered him against the wall by the front door and took his hat off, throwing it to the side so he could see the damage on his face. He was done being gentle with him, that apparently wasn’t working. He knew Wonho wouldn’t fight back, he clearly hasn’t been, and he would never hurt Chang. 

“Pick up, pick up-“ The phone continued to ring, Changkyun becoming more stressed with every second that passed without an answer.

“Changkyun? What’s wrong, I told you to call only for-“

“-hyung, I messed up.” Changkyun answered, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. “I really messed up. Wonho isn’t doing well, we ran out of blood bags, so I offered my… he’s furious, I’ve never seen him so- I don’t know where he went, he’s getting into fights and he won’t heal because he won’t take my blood and-“

“Hey, hey slow down. Slow down, kid. Take a breath, okay?” Hyungwon soothed on the other end, Changkyun breaking down in tears the second he heard him. 

“I upset him, I fucked up, I shouldn’t have tempted him but I was angry-“

“Changkyun, you have to catch your breath and calm down so I can understand you. Did he hurt you? Are you alright?” Hyungwon’s voice always seemed calm in every situation, no matter how stressful it was. Changkyun took a deep breath, resting his head against the side of the chair as he tried to collect himself. 

“No. No, I hurt myself.” He said, his voice softer because he was still ashamed. Hyungwon was quiet for a second, and it felt like an eternity. 

“What do you mean, where? Do you need me to come over-?”

“No, no I just… He needs to heal, hyung, and he refuses to drink from me. So I opened up an old cut, the one I made when I helped him back to his feet at VEX. I’ve… I’ve never seen him so mad, let alone _hear_ him yell like that. We were in the middle of another argument and I just kind of lost patience. I know it’s terrible, but I thought because he was so hungry he wouldn’t be able to hold back and he would just… Fuck, I fucked up really bad.” Changkyun was crying again as much as he tried not to, and Hyungwon just kept quietly repeating _it’s okay_ after every other sentence.

   “I understand. Are you sure you don’t need me-“

“No, it’s alright. I just wanted to talk to you.” Chang cut him off, looking towards the window to see police lights flashing. It was like this every night, he just hoped it wasn’t Wonho getting in the way of something bad this time. “This isn’t normal couple problems, y’know? I need vampire advice.” Changkyun tried to make his voice sound lighter, but it was really hard to lie over a phone. 

“So, let’s talk.” Hyungwon said softly, Changkyun biting his lip to keep from crying again. He was always a problem, he’d been the problem from the beginning. He felt shitty for putting all this on a guy he’d just recently become close to, who was also in the middle of something way more important than him. 

“Changkyun… come on, say something. I’m not mad, you’re not in the wrong here for calling me.” Hyungwon continued, Changkyun almost dropped the phone out of shock when he heard it. 

“Wait, there’s no way you can read my mind through a-“

“No, I can’t. I just know you, I’ve spent too much unwanted time in your head and it’s not a fun place.” Hyungwon interrupted, laughing to himself on the other end. “But for real, let’s go through this again with less crying. Wonho is still wounded and you guys ran out of vampire take out. Right?” He started, Changkyun taking in a small breath as he peeked down at the now blood-soaked t-shirt his wrist was rested on.

“Yes.” 

“Okay. And he keeps coming home late every night even more hurt so of course you’re worried, but he doesn’t want to talk. Right?” Hyungwon continued, Changkyun sighing when he realized what he was doing. Nothing was going to make him not feel guilty. 

“Yes, but-“

“Ahem, it was a yes or no question. So, putting all of this weird behavior together, you thought you could solve at least one problem by turning yourself into a fresh vampire snack-“

“When you put it that way it sounds gross.” Changkyun interrupted, unable to hide the slight smile making its way onto his lips. It had only been a week, but he missed Hyungwon. 

“Well to a lot of humans, especially now, it is.” Hyungwon laughed, Changkyun feeling a little less anxious at the sound of it. “So anyway, you opened the old wound, put it in Wonho’s face, and he went batshit-“

“Yes, is this really necessary-?”

“-and then he left. So basically, we have an upset boyfriend who took his own fear and anger out on you… and you crying on the floor and talking to me.” Hyungwon said quite proudly, Changkyun rolling his eyes because he had guessed his current position correctly. He really had spent too much time in the kid’s head. Maybe that was the reason Changkyun felt so comfortable talking to him. But what he was saying about Wonho… could that be true?

“I think he’s just angry. He’s been distant since-“

“-since our brother died.” Hyungwon deadpanned, Changkyun wincing at the suddenness of it. He knew Hyungwon was right, but he didn’t think he’d be so quick to say it. They still haven’t talked about it. Changkyun wanted to talk to Wonho about it because he really wanted to help him, but he couldn’t get through to him. 

“Yeah… we haven’t talked.” Chang said softly, Hyungwon sighing on the other end. He wished he was here right now, he wished he could just look inside his head so Changkyun wouldn’t have to explain everything. He wished he could be here to be the middle man between him and Wonho, Hyungwon had been one of the main reasons keeping them together. Hell, Chang didn’t know where they would be without Hyungwon’s pushy advice. 

“So that’s where you start. I know Wonho's moods, when he comes back he’ll be upset and most likely apologetic. However, if he’s _really_ hungry, which from what you told me he is, he might just be horny and upset. Terrible mix.. take that opportunity to get through to him. Now talking is one thing, blood is another.” Hyungwon said, Changkyun looking back down at his wrist with guilt. He was still afraid. Not really of Wonho being angry with him, but him not being able to do it. He didn’t want what happened with Jooheon to get in the way of him helping his boyfriend, but he was still fucking terrified of it. 

“Hyung… is it any different?” Changkyun asked cautiously, remembering how Wonho said he used to drink from Hyungwon before he moved to blood bags. It had to be, why else would Minhyuk let Jooheon drink from him so much when he was still human? And judging from what Bjoo had said about Minsung… it sounded like they enjoyed it.

“You have to be a little more specific, kid.” Hyungwon said, Changkyun slowly standing up from his spot on the floor to look out the window. 

“Will it hurt? Like it did with Jooheon?” He asked, heart lifting some when he saw that the police lights were a lot more distant now. 

“Oh.” Hyungwon paused for a few seconds, causing Changkyun to hold his breath. “It shouldn’t. Not like… I don’t know how to explain this. Just trust him, Changkyun. If you trust him, it won’t hurt. What Jooheon did to you, and what Hyuk did, that wasn’t out of need but want. A simple harsh want for food, with no care of how it hurt you. With Wonho it will be different. You just… this sounds stupid but hear me out, you have to just concentrate on him. Only him. It will feel different.” Hyungwon said, Changkyun biting his nail anxiously. “Come on, you see how much just the thought of it scared him, right? He would _never_ hurt you. And if he ever does, he’s getting my foot up his ass.” Changkyun started pacing again, but Hyungwon’s words were definitely comforting. 

“So… just think of him.” He repeated, landing on the couch after he stopped pacing. 

“You’ll be okay, I promise. But seeing how he’s been very against the idea of taking blood from you lately, try getting him in bed first-“

“Hyungwon-!”

“I’m just saying, it was my only experience with him. I think he used to get off on it… Too much info, but just try? 

“I really don’t want to talk about this with you.” Chang said, trying to keep the mental image of Wonho and Hyungwon together out of his head. For more than one reason. 

“All I’m saying is it’s an option. I need to go though, Seulgi just got back with another address for us to try. Text me if you need me again, I won’t be able to answer the phone.” Hyungwon said, Changkyun taking a deep breath to try to relax more. 

“Okay, I will. Good luck, hyung. And thanks.” Chang responded, laying back into the couch and closing his eyes. “Love you.”

“I love you too. Try to relax, bye Chang.” With that Hyungwon hung up and Changkyun was left staring at the front door. Waiting. 

 

He had been dozing off when the door finally opened, and the noise made him practically fall right off the couch. He had spent the time waiting to bandage up his wrist, putting on Wonho’s pink hoodie that he let him borrow the first day he stayed with him. When Wonho walked in and saw him wearing it, his whole composure seemed to fail him. He didn’t look hurt, there was no new blood on him, but it looked as if he had been crying for a good while. Changkyun wanted to get up and run over to him… but he was afraid he was still angry. 

“Hey.” Changkyun said, slowly sitting up on the couch as Wonho shut the door behind him. 

“Hey.” Wonho replied, his voice hoarse, eyes unable to stay on Changkyun. He started to walk past the couch but Changkyun reached out and grabbed his hand to stop him. 

“Stay.” He said, determined to not let tonight be the same as the past week. Wonho stopped, looking straight ahead, hand shaking in Changkyun’s hold. 

“I can’t… I’m sorry.” He pulled out of his grip and walked away, Changkyun taking a deep breath before standing up and going after him. 

“Don’t do this.” Chang pushed, walking quicker to move in front of Wonho before he could walk into the bedroom. Wonho kept his eyes down, as if he couldn’t even look at him. It made Changkyun’s stomach churn. “Don’t.” He reached out for Wonho’s chin, slowly lifting it so he would look him in the eye. His eyes were bright red, incisors resting on his bottom lip, and tear stains down his cheeks. 

“Please… step back.” Wonho muttered, eyes traveling down to Changkyun’s neck. It seemed like talking wasn’t going to happen tonight. Changkyun moved closer instead, leaning in to kiss Wonho’s neck. Might as well try one of Hyungwon’s ideas. Wonho stiffened up when Chang’s hands traveled around his waist and under his shirt, fingers tracing up over skin. He pulled Wonho’s body against him, closing his eyes and moving to kiss from his jawline up to his cheek. 

“I can’t-“

Changkyun cut him off by finding his lips, and Wonho was too weak to pull away from him. He kissed him lightly, pulling back enough to see his expression. Only a second passed before his back was hitting the wall, Wonho pushing himself against him and attacking his lips. His kisses were sloppy, hungry, and Chang winced when he felt an incisor catch his lip. Wonho was about to pull away, but Changkyun grabbed a handful of his hair in his hand and pulled him closer. He pushed his head down to his neck, preparing for the pain and hoping Wonho would give in, but all he did was kiss him. 

“I won’t hurt you.” Wonho’s breath was hot against the underside of Chang’s jaw, lips moving back up to find his. “I just want you.” His hands reached behind Chang’s thighs and he lifted him up, Changkyun moving his arms to wrap around Wonho’s shoulders to balance as he walked towards into the room. He couldn’t get a word in, he couldn’t argue, he could barely even breathe because of how aggressive Wonho’s kisses were. He didn’t pull away from his lips until Chang’s back was on the bed and he was hovering over him, eyes set on his neck. 

“I know you won’t.” Changkyun breathed, Wonho biting his lip as he looked down at him. He was beautiful from this angle, his brown hair falling into his eyes and curling a bit at the bottom, lips red and swollen, eyes unable to leave Changkyun’s. “Please=“

Wonho dropped down over him and caught his bottom lip before he could finish the statement. He reached down for the bottom of Chang’s hoodie, tugging at it as he continued to kiss him. Chang lifted his arms up out of habit, Wonho pulling back just long enough to rip the thing off him and throw it aside. He didn’t hesitate like he used to do when he saw all the scars, bruises, and bandages over his bare stomach, he was too focussed on his lips. He kissed him like he needed it, pushing himself down on Changkyun, fingers traveling through his hair until he got a tight grip on it and pulled Chang’s lips even closer. He kissed him so hard it almost hurt, he kissed him with a hunger, he kissed him without thinking. Changkyun tried to keep up with his feverish actions, hands gripping onto Wonho’s shoulders and moving to his neck, squeezing softly whenever he needed to breathe. Wonho didn’t have to breathe, but he was able to pick up on Chang’s hints that he needed air. 

“Won-“ he could barely get a syllable in, Wonho’s full weight on him getting to be too much. “Hey, slow down.” He hushed, Wonho moving to kiss his neck again, most likely leaving marks there. “You’re squishing me, hyung.” He continued, relieved he could finally breathe again. He dropped his hands from Wonho’s neck, moving down to reach under Wonho’s shirt again. Wonho’s lips never parted with his neck as he lifted his weight off him. He pulled at Chang’s legs to spread them open before reclaiming his place between them. Changkyun could feel his face turning red, knees on either side of Wonho, definitely getting more turned on every time Wonho rolled his hips down closer against him. 

“Is this okay?” Wonho asked, nibbling on his ear, his hard on clearly noticeable through his jeans from the friction between them. Changkyun moaned in response, tugging at Wonho’s shirt to take it off. He pulled it over his head in a rush so Wonho could find Changkyun’s neck again. 

“Kiss me.” Chang breathed, nails traveling over the bare skin of Wonho’s back and leaving small red trails. Wonho listened, lips moving back to Chang’s, practically biting down on his bottom lip. Changkyun wondered how long he could keep this up without it getting too much. Wonho was hungry, he could tell from more than just the red in his eyes. He was also starting to wonder how much longer _he_ could take it, Wonho’s hand traveling down between them to press down over Changkyun’s crotch. His hips moved against Wonho’s hand, causing more friction that made him moan into his mouth. He reached down to find Wonho’s hipbones, pulling his waist down sharply as Wonho moved away from his lips to suck at his neck again. 

Wonho’s hand moved underneath Chang’s jeans, wrapping around his cock through his boxers to tease him. Chang threw his head back against the pillow, fingernails digging into Wonho’s sides. Suddenly he forgot about all the shit they’ve been through, he forgot how the world was falling apart, he forgot that his boyfriend was a vampire who just really needed to dig into his neck right about now to feel better. He just closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of finally being this close to the cute boy from work he had the biggest crush on for a year. It had been so long since he’s been with someone who genuinely cared about him, and everything Wonho did effected him even more because of that. His lips alone were almost too much to handle, no matter what inch of Chang they were on.

“You’re loud.” Wonho laughed against his skin, moving down to kiss his collarbone. The phrase brought him back to reality and reminded him of someone else. He bit down on his lip to keep quiet, Wonho’s hips making it hard for him to do so. 

“I didn’t mean to stop, Kyun. It’s…. really hot.” He breathed, hand finally moving underneath his boxers and beginning to stroke him slowly. “You can be loud for me.” He said, voice low and close to his ear. Changkyun froze, the words sending a flash of Jooheon through his mind like a dagger. Suddenly all he could concentrate on was the dusty room and fresh blood, the sound of the squeaky bed and lopsided fan, the feeling of Jooheon’s hand wrapping tightly around his neck as he shoved him to his knees… The flash felt too real and he had to open his eyes to see it was Wonho. Wonho moved his hand away quickly, pulling back to look at Changkyun with concern. The red in his eyes faded slowly when he saw the fear in Changkyun’s. 

“I’m sorry- I shouldn’t be-” 

“No, that’s not it.”Changkyun interrupted, grabbing ahold of Wonho’s hands and pulling him back over him when he tried to move away. “Don’t leave.” 

“Is this too fast? I’m sorry, I thought you were-“

“No. No it’s just… He used to say that to me all the time. To be loud for him.” Changkyun whispered, hand reaching up to smooth out Wonho’s hair. Wonho frowned at him, leaning down to kiss his forehead as he relaxed back down against Changkyun.

“I’m sorry-“

“You didn’t know. Now stop talking… I want you.” Changkyun said, catching Wonho’s hand in his and bringing it back down under the hem of his pants. Wonho let Changkyun lead him, leaning back down to kiss him slowly. 

“I want you too.” He whispered against his lips, pulling back enough to look Chang in the eyes. “So fucking bad.” Changkyun’s breath caught in his throat from the intensity of his stare, and suddenly Wonho was kissing down his chest and moving down to the edge of the bed. He pulled Changkyun’s jeans and boxers off swiftly, pushing them to the side before leaning down to kiss the inside of his thigh. 

“I never got to return the favor.” Wonho’s breath was hot against his skin, and Changkyun suddenly forgot how to breathe. 

“Hyung, is now really the best time?” Chang asked, Wonho biting down gently on Changkyun’s inner thigh, which caused him to dig his fingernails into the sheets. “You’re hungry-“

“I can control myself.” Wonho said, hand traveling over Chang’s thigh agonizingly slow.

“Can we come to a compromise then?” Chang asked, biting his lips to keep from moaning when Wonho wrapped his hand back around the base of his cock. This probably was _not_ the greatest time to be trying to talk things out. He could barely think straight with Wonho’s head between his thighs.

“Mmmm, sure. What’s you’re deal?” Wonho asked halfheartedly, leaving sloppy kisses right at the start of his hips. Changkyun had to catch his breath, trying hard to form words together in a coherent sentence in his head while Wonho handled him with his lips.

“I want you to… drink from me.” Chang answered hesitantly, hearing how stupid it sounded out loud. Wonho suddenly stopped and looked up, eyes furrowed at him, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. God he looked ethereal. 

“Changkyun, I could hurt you.“

“You won’t.” 

“How do you know that? I could end up just like him.” Wonho said, looking down at the marks left over Chang’s stomach and hips. He kissed one of the now scarring cuts right below his bellybutton. “I don’t want to hurt you like that.”

“You won’t… unlike him, I trust you and I really fucking want you. Speaking of, for the love of god finish what you started. Don’t make me beg.” Chang whined, Wonho smirking at him even though his eyes were still full of worry. He teased him with his hand, stroking slowly as he continued to kiss all the scars and bruises on his hips. Changkyun’s eyes found the ceiling as he tried to relax into the feeling, but seeing the fan above him sent another flash through his head. He shut his eyes, ignoring it, and concentrating on how gentle Wonho’s lips were. His movements were becoming quicker by the second, and Changkyun couldn’t even try to keep quiet anymore. He could tell Wonho was enjoying that, because the kisses on his hips became rougher in an attempt to get more out of Chang. 

For a split second Wonho’s hand was gone and Chang was worried he was actually going to make him beg. To be honest, at this point, he would beg for anything. He didn’t have the time to though, because suddenly Wonho took in his cock between his lips.

“Fuck-“ Chang’s fists twisted in the sheets, knees twitching until Wonho grabbed ahold of them and pushed them down against the mattress, leaving Changkyun completely exposed to him. The small hums coming from Wonho made his head light, and he let go of the sheets to reach for the back of Wonho’s head and bring him down closer. Wonho still had a grip on his inner thigh and he began massaging it while his other hand stroked up and down slowly from the base to his lips. 

“Hyung…” Changkyun’s back arched off the bed as his hips pushed up further into Wonho. Suddenly Wonho’s lips were gone and Chang looked down to see him blushing at him from between his thighs. 

“Please don’t use honorifics while your dick is in my mouth.” Wonho said, winking before licking his cock from base to tip, Changkyun completely gone at this point. 

“S-sorry, I-“ he was cut off by his own moan, Wonho quickening the pace drastically while his tongue played with the tip. “ _Fuck_ , Wonho.” He reached for Wonho’s shoulders, pulling himself up into a sitting position to look down at the beautiful boy between his legs. The sight alone could have pushed him over the edge. All the built up tension from the week of silence was getting to him, and he could feel himself coming close. He got ahold of Wonho’s hair, brushing the loose bangs back from his forehead, his thighs starting to shake. Wonho moved his hand to the outside of his thigh towards his ass, holding on tightly as he took in Chang even more. He wanted him, he wanted all of him, he wanted to kiss him again, to-

“Fu- I’m close-“ He stammered, throwing his head back when Wonho hummed a response. Vampires having no gag reflex and lungs that were out of order made them too good at this, Chang felt like he was about to explode as Wonho teased him now that he was on edge. 

“Please… please please _please_ -“ He resorted to begging, knowing Wonho had been waiting for it, biting his lip as Wonho complied and quickened his pace. His hips thrust upward again, hand moving to the back of Wonho’s neck to pull him closer. He fell back down against the mattress, head spinning and legs pushing up against Wonho’s shoulders. 

“Fuck- move, I’m… Wonho, pull-“ He tried to warn him, but Wonho didn’t seem like he wanted to pull away. His back arched off the mattress, hands moving behind his head to hold onto the bed frame in an attempt to keep himself grounded as he released into the back of his throat. Wonho pulled back, slowly stroking him through his orgasm, Changkyun relaxing into his touch. He let out the breath he’d apparently held in, opening his eyes to look back at the fan above him. This time he didn’t feel anxious, there were no flashes… just Wonho. 

“Come here…” Changkyun whined, reaching his hands down for Wonho. He heard him laugh before he was hovering over him again, his eyes as red as his lips. Chang pulled him down harshly for a kiss, lips moving over his slowly as he breathed him in. He could feel Wonho’s cock growing against his leg, and as much as he wanted to return the favor, he knew there was something Wonho needed more. He pulled away from Wonho’s lips, arms traveling around his shoulders as he sucked on his neck. 

“Bite me.” He deadpanned, fingernails digging into Wonho’s bare back as he felt the guy push down against him. 

“Chang-“

“Please. We had a deal.” He tried to make his voice as whiney as possible, playing into what Wonho wanted to hear. “ _Bite_ me.” He laid his head back down, angling his neck to the side and staring up at Wonho.

“I…” Wonho trailed off, resting his forehead down against Changkyun’s, elbows on either side of his head to keep him up as he brushed his fingers through Chang’s hair. “I don’t know if I can.”

“I’ll be okay-“

“Kyun, I don’t want to bring back-“

“I’ll live.” Changkyun said, cupping Wonho’s cheeks in his palms to make him look at him. “I just need you.” Wonho looked from his neck and back to Changkyun, his eyes red.

“Are you sure-?”

“I’m not afraid… you’re here.” Changkyun said seriously, kissing him again. “I’ll never be afraid with you.” Wonho kissed him for a long time before his lips moved closer to his neck, softly scraping his teeth against it. He was testing him. 

“So this is okay?” He asked, hand gently holding onto Changkyun’s neck as he kissed it. 

“Yes.” He said, leaving a kiss on Wonho’s bare shoulder.

“What if I can’t stop?” Wonho nuzzled his face into Changkyun’s neck, breath quickening at the idea.

“You will, because when you’re done, I’m returning the favor.” He whispered in his ear, Wonho’s breath catching in his throat. Changkyun had won this time. 

“Fuck… tell me when.” Wonho surrendered, muffled hot air on his skin. Changkyun could feel his heart start to beat faster when it actually hit him that Wonho was going to give in _._ He could do this.

“Now.” Changkyun closed his eyes, breathing out calmly as he felt the hard pinch of Wonho’s teeth cut into his skin. He tried not to flinch, so he wouldn’t worry him, his fingernails gripping into Wonho’s back to try to hold onto his reality. He was starting to feel bad about the amount of marks he’d probably left on Wonho’s back. 

The pull of the blood was slower, less rushed, less aggressive. Hyungwon was right about the feeling… he couldn’t quite place it. His grip on Wonho slowly loosened as he relaxed against the bed, arms falling to his sides. He didn’t feel tense, didn’t feel afraid, didn’t feel any pain. He fell completely vulnerable, even his breathing slowing down as his mind locked on Wonho. All he could feel was him, and if it wasn’t for the lightness in his head, he would have thought Wonho was just kissing his neck like any other time. _Just think of him, only him._ He understood now why Hyungwon couldn’t quite explain it in words. 

“Tell me if it hurts.” Wonho mumbled against his neck, pulling back to leave soft kisses over the fresh wound. 

“I don’t care… make it hurt.” Changkyun said, hand reaching down to cup over Wonho’s crotch. “Hold me- harder.” He spoke before he could think, Wonho leaving rough kisses on his neck before biting down again with more force. Changkyun winced this time, hand tightening around Wonho’s bulge as the other caught a fistful of sheets. He was apparently being loud again, because Wonho moved his tight hold on his neck to cover his mouth, pushing his head more to the side so he could get a better angle. He let his eyes close, pushing the memories of Jooheon as far down as he could and relaxing into the pain. This whole time he hadn’t realized… just how much he liked it. 

Changkyun lost track of time until Wonho pulled back again and left kisses over his neck to clean up his mess. His head was spinning, but he wasn’t afraid. He should be spent by now, but his adrenaline kept him going as he pushed Wonho off of him and climbed on top, looking down at Wonho’s wide eyes that were fading back to brown. 

“Feel better?” Changkyun asked, rubbing his thumb over Wonho’s lip to clean off the remaining blood there. Wonho was speechless, no longer obsessing over the view of Chang’s neck, his eyes locked on his and full of need. 

“Are you okay?” He asked, reaching up to cup his hand over the fresh wound on Chang’s neck. 

“I’ll let you be the judge of that.” Chang smirked, kissing him before traveling down to his waist. 

 

 


	16. Rock Bottom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short shownu update

   Shownu pulled his hood over his head before picking up the boy wrapped in blankets. He cradled the body in his arms, listening to the ringing coming through his headphones patiently. 

“Who is this?” An old friend asked in his headphones, Shownu peeking out from around the corner of the bar to see how many cops were on the street. Not too many, just one squad car and some on foot chasing someone down. He could make it. 

“Son Hyunwoo. I need a favor. Technically, Kihyun needs a favor… and you owe him. If you’re still in the area, can you pick us up at my bar? You know, the one by Joo’s we used to hang out at when we were younger?” Shownu asked, looking down at the blanket covering Kihyun’s face. He was asleep…. he was just asleep. He was going to be okay. 

“Slow down, it’s been decades… What do you mean a favor for Kihyun, he’s-“

“-it’s important. Please. We had a deal, favor for a favor.” Shownu interrupted, quickly walking back down the alley when he heard a siren close by, taking a left to keep out of sight. “I could go back to the old apartment, would that be better?” 

“Sure. Sure okay, I think I remember where that is. I’ll come.” The voice responded, sounding a little unsure. “But Hyunwoo… word has gotten around fast since I’ve been back, I know what happened-“

“-then you know who to bring.” Shownu didn’t wait for him to respond, leaning down to reach and rip his headphones out.

 

He was surprised he was able to get to the apartment without any problems, buzzing in and hoping Hyungwon was still there. He would have questions, there was nothing Shownu could do about that, but he wouldn’t let it get in the way. 

“There are no bloodsuckers in this residence, only pure human citizens of Seoul, please move along coppers.” Hyungwon’s sarcasm sounded through the com, Shownu not even having it in him to roll his eyes. Of all the sons he could be stuck with… he was hoping for at least Hoseok, but he fled to keep his new toy safe. If anything happened to that human kid, Hoseok was bound to go off the deep end, and Shownu really didn’t like the idea of them being too far for him to watch after. 

“It’s me.” Shownu said in the com, leaning against the wall and holding Kihyun closer to his chest. He heard stumbling as the door unlocked and Seulgi cracked it open to look up and make sure it was him. Shownu nodded to her, pushing past to walk into the small staircase while she stared at the boy cradled his arms. She followed him up the stairs in silence, Hyungwon greeting them at the top. 

“What is this, hyung? We were about to leave for a lead.” Hyungwon said in a hushed voice, Shownu pushing past him as well and walking into the living room to place Kihyun down on the couch. Always so many questions, it was tiring. 

“I’m not stopping you from leaving, I’m just waiting here for a friend. This was the safest place that he could locate.” Shownu said, reaching down to make sure the blanket was still covering Kihyun’s face. He turned around to look at Hyungwon, tears welling in the kid’s eyes as he looked at Kihyun. Kihyun was okay, everyone needed to stop crying. He was fine, everything was fine. 

“Why… why did you bring the body here?” Hyungwon asked, his voice faltering as Seulgi walked over to hold onto his arm. Shownu sat down in the chair beside the couch, shrugging his shoulders at the pair like it was just another Monday. He didn’t have time to fall apart… there was no reason to, everything was fine. Kihyun was sleeping. 

“Kihyun has a visitor. Someone who owes him a favor.” Shownu replied, slightly angry that Hyungwon referred to him as ‘the body’. Hyungwon looked like he was seconds away from losing it. The boy was always quite fragile, probably because of all the voices in his head.

“How can he have a-“

“I’m sorry, oppa, can you give us one moment.” Seulgi smiled apologetically, pulling Hyungwon into the kitchen before he could say anything else. Shownu stared down at his phone, ignoring the two as they whispered. When he heard his old friend was back in town, he knew he wouldn’t be far. He was probably back at his old place, or at least in the middle of kicking the new resistants out of his place, which wasn’t more than twenty minutes away. It had already taken more than half that just for Shownu to get here. They’d be here soon. 

Shownu glanced over at Hyungwon again when he heard a muffled cry, the taller boy’s composure crumbling down against Seulgi’s shoulder. He didn't mean to upset him… but everything was going to be okay soon. He just didn’t know that yet. Seulgi caught Shownu’s eyes over Hyungwon’s shoulder, squinting at him in question. She was a smart girl, Shownu had always approved of her, though he thought for the longest time that Hyungwon was strictly into men. Apparently he liked both. Both Shownu and Seulgi could boss him around, maybe that’s what he liked. Hoseok was a wild card, he never really understood that relationship. 

Suddenly the buzzer rang at the same time as Hyungwon’s phone went off. They both froze for a second as Shownu got up off the couch and buzzed the person in without even checking the com first. 

“Oppa, that isn’t a good idea-“

“It’s fine. Hyungwon you should answer that.” Shownu said emotionlessly, waiting at the door while he heard two sets of footsteps walking up the stairs. Shownu opened the door to come face to face with Min Yoongi, Taehyung following behind him with a hood covering most of his face. Yoongi looked rough for an immortal, bruises lining his cheekbones and dried blood on his fists. It most likely was not his blood. The hoodie he was wearing was ripped and about two sizes too big. It had been decades since Shownu’s seen either of them, but once shit hit the fan he heard from Jackson that they were back in Seoul. 

“Yoongi, it’s been a while.” Shownu said, the phone still continuously ringing in the background as both Hyungwon and Seulgi stared in disbelief. He closed the door behind the two of them, Taehyung making no attempt to look up from under his hood. Yoongi forced a smile, nudging the younger boy in the arm. 

“It has. No more favors between us.” Yoongi answered, Shownu reaching his hand out for a handshake. Yoongi disregarded his hand, standing up on his toes to give him a hug instead.

“Do they know about him?” Yoongi whispered against his ear, pulling away from the hug and nodding towards Hyungwon and Seulgi. Shownu turned around to follow his gaze, the phone still ringing, both of them staring ahead as if they didn’t hear it. 

“Would you answer the damn phone, Hyungwon?” Shownu asked, Hyungwon looking down at the phone in his hand as if he’d completely forgot it was ringing. 

“Fuck, sorry. I have to take this.” He said, answering the phone and bringing it to his ear. “Changkyun? What’s wrong, I told you to call only for-“ He cut off, walking towards his bedroom, eyes never leaving Shownu and Yoongi. “Hey, hey slow down. Slow down, kid. Take a breath, okay?” He nodded to Seulgi, probably telling her to keep on eye on them while he was gone, before shutting the bedroom door behind him. Shownu sighed, looking back to Yoongi.

“The answer is no, but they don’t need to. You guys are leaving soon to follow a lead, right Seulgi-ah?” Shownu asked, not even turning around to look at her while he did. 

“Yes, but it might be a little while now… I’m sorry, oppa, but who are these guys?” She asked, walking over to them to stand beside Shownu. 

“I said, you don’t need to know-“

“-we’re old friends. I’m Min Yoongi,” Yoongi reached out his hand, Seulgi hesitant to take it. “And this is Kim Taehyung.” He gestured to the boy standing behind him. Taehyung stayed hidden under his hood, simply nodding when his name was mentioned. Seulgi reached out to wrap her hand around Shownu’s arm, nodding back to him. Yoongi just raised his eyebrows at Shownu before his eyes traveled over to Kihyun’s body on the couch. 

“Hyunwoo… this won’t be easy.” Yoongi said, walking around them and over to the couch. Shownu stiffened up when he pulled the blanket back from Kihyun’s face, looking away so he wouldn’t see. Seulgi’s hold tightened on his arm, she always had the need to protect them as weak as she was as a human. Shownu found it honorable. 

“As I said. You owe him. No more favors after this.” Shownu answered, looking at Taehyung this time, the kid finally reaching up to pull his hood off. His bangs still covered most of his dark red eyes, his skin covered in black markings of a language Shownu couldn't understand. He hadn’t seen it in so long, and it didn’t bring back good memories. Seulgi’s grip tightened even more at the sight of it, and Shownu watched out of the corner of his eye as her other hand hovered over her belt.

“It’s alright.” Shownu whispered, Seulgi looking up at him questionably before her eyes fell back on Taehyung. 

“What are you?” She deadpanned, about to take a step forward until Shownu pulled her back to his side. 

“I’m sorry… she-“

“No. It’s okay, I do look a little…” Taehyung trailed off, gesturing to himself“-different.” He smiled, lips boxy and making him seem much younger and harmless than he was. He winked at Seulgi before walking over to the side of the couch. “Hyung told me I could probably help you out with, well, this.” He nodded to Kihyun, Yoongi nudging him in the arm again. “I mean, him. Help with him. Kihyun.”

“Hyunwoo, you know the risks. You know what happened last time.” Yoongi warned, sitting on the arm of the couch next to Kihyun’s head and pulling a cigarette out of his pocket. Shownu was going to tell him not to smoke in the house, but honestly he didn’t want any trouble with the centuries old demon.

“I know… but I can’t-“ Shownu stopped suddenly, not allowing himself to feel the pain that came up every time he thought of it. Kihyun was okay, he was okay, he was just asleep. He was fine. “I need him to wake up.” He said, voice not as strong as he would have liked. Taehyung cocked his head to the side in confusion, looking Shownu up and down like he was insane.

“I’m pretty sure that thing- _guy_ is dead, not asleep-“

“Taehyung! For the last time, think about what I taught you before you speak.” Yoongi said, puffing some smoke into the air. He sighed, getting up off the couch and walking over to Shownu to put his hand on his arm comfortingly.

“I’m sorry, he still hasn’t quite grasped the concept of human decency. Want a hit?” He asked, holding the cigarette out towards Shownu. Shownu waved it away, his eyes still locked on Taehyung. He was right. He knew he was right, but letting himself believe that made him feel like he was about to crumble into a million pieces. He had to be the strong one for his family, he couldn’t falter. Not even now. That’s why he needed Kihyun back.

“No, I wouldn’t like a hit, I would like you to use your thoughtless necromancer to bring back the love of my fucking life.” Shownu said through gritted teeth, no longer able to stay calm. Seulgi let go of his arm, taking a few steps back and looking at all of them with wide eyes, hand back on the knife attached to her belt. 

“Wait… he’s a necromancer? You have got to be shitting me, you guys aren’t actually thinking of bringing Kihyun back-?”

“Go check up on Hyungwon.” Shownu interrupted sharply, staring at her as Yoongi chuckled to himself and took another hit of the cigarette. 

“But oppa, I-“

“I said _go_.” Shownu didn’t mean to sound harsh, but telling by the look on her face as she walked away he had definitely upset her. 

“Do you always keep the young ones around? And by the smell of it, human?” Yoongi asked with a smirk, sitting back down. Shownu ran a hand through his hair in frustration, trying not to look at Kihyun’s lifeless face. “Human girls seem fun… if I was into girls-“

“This isn’t the time for catching up. I need him back.” Shownu said, eyes set on Taehyung. The kid bit his lip, pulling the blanket off of Kihyun to look at him. He reached down to poke his stomach playfully, and Shownu had to hold himself back from making the mistake of throwing him into the wall. He couldn’t anger him, he was the only way of getting Kihyun back. 

“Seems like he’s been dead for about a week, you should have asked sooner. You know decomposition-“

“That’s for humans, dipshit, he was a vampire. It’s slower. Those guys are like cockroaches, sometimes I wish they actually turned into dust like in the movies. No offense of course.” Yoongi said, smiling at Shownu. He was starting to regret making a deal with a demon, especially one as shameless as Min Yoongi. It had been centuries since he ran with this crowd, and now that they were here again, he was just reminded of why he left. 

“Either way, we can’t do anything here. There are witnesses, a human, plus we’re in the middle of the city. You willing to come with us?” Taehyung asked, putting his hood back over his head. Shownu looked back down at Kihyun, knowing exactly what he was getting into if he left with these two, and the people they would most likely bring him to. He had to go through with it, it was all he had. He couldn’t take one more day with Kihyun… dead. Kihyun was dead, he wasn’t okay, he wasn’t sleeping, and he would stay like that if Shownu didn’t go with them. Finally confirming the thought in his head set his decision in stone, he would do anything it took. 

“Okay. Wait in the car, I need to say goodbye to the kids and make sure they don’t try to follow.” Shownu said softly, looking to Yoongi. Yoongi just shrugged his shoulders, patting him on the shoulder as he passed by. 

“Alright, I’m giving you ten minutes. We can’t stay too much longer.” He said, Taehyung following after him like a lost puppy. Shownu sighed in relief the second the door was shut and they were gone, pulling the blanket back over Kihyun’s face before walking over to Hyungwon’s room and knocking on the door. 

Seulgi opened it after a second of silence, looking up at him with a glare as he walked into the room and sat on the edge of Hyungwon’s bed. He mouthed _I’m sorry_ to her, but she didn’t seem to take it. 

“All I’m saying is it’s an option. I need to go though, Seulgi just got back with another address for us to try. Text me if you need me again, I won’t be able to answer the phone.” Hyungwon lied into the phone, eyes focussed on Shownu. He was lying to the human… that might not turn out well in the end. 

“I love you too. Try to relax, bye Chang.” Hyungwon said calmly, hanging up the phone before throwing it down on the bed and glaring at Shownu. “What the _FUCK_ , hyung! Demons?! Necromancers?! I thought Min Yoongi was a fucking scary story you told me to keep me straight, what the _fuck_ are you getting into?” Hyungwon yelled, Seulgi flinching as she sat down next to him on the bed. 

“I’m sorry but I have to leave with them now and don’t have time to explain. Don’t tell anyone else until it’s done. That’s not a request, it’s an order. This is important-“

“Important?! You can’t order me. You’re fucking with nature, hyung! You can’t bring him back, I’m sorry but it’s true. Fuck, you should have buried him a week ago. Now this? _This_ is fucking insane! He’s dead, Shownu, he’s _never_ coming back!” Hyungwon stood off the bed, walking towards the door of his room until Shownu reached out for his arm and yanked him back. He twisted him around, stepping close to Hyungwon so that his face was inches away, grip tight enough to break his arm if he moved. He was done being patient.

“You listen to me, you obey me, and you are not going to get in the way of me. Is that clear?” He asked, watching as Hyungwon shrunk a little under his stare. They were his sons, he had the control. He hadn’t reminded them of that control in so long, but now was the time he had to use it. He had to. 

“Yes-“

“Yes, what?”

“Yes hyung.” Hyungwon muttered, Shownu letting go of his arm and pushing him back towards the bed.

“I was coming to say goodbye, guess I shouldn’t have wasted my time with you.” He muttered, stopping short before walking out the door. “I’m sorry if I frightened you, Seulgi-ah, it was not my intention.” With that he slammed the door behind him, walking into the living room to pick up Kihyun and walk out the door. 

 

There was no coming back from this. 


	17. Where Lovers Lead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to update, I just started my senior year of college and shit's been... wild. Be patient with me!

   Hyungwon stared at the closed door in disbelief, the room falling uncomfortably silent apart from the excessive thoughts going through Seulgi’s mind next to him. 

_I just sat there like a dumbass. I didn’t even do anything when he came at Wonie - he seems weaker,fuck he’s probably listening right now- Damn, weak who? Hyungwon is the strongest man in my life, and damn he’s looking fine right now, who wouldn’t want a piece of that -_

“Are you done lying yet?” Hyungwon turned his gaze to Seulgi, raising his eyebrows. Of all people she should know by now that she couldn’t keep things from him. She was usually good at blocking her mind, apparently she was scared too. 

“Okay only two thirds of that was a lie.” She smirked, nudging him in the side. “But seriously, I was worried. I’ve never seen him like this before, and I froze-“

“I’m okay, and you couldn’t have done anything.” Hyungwon said, lifting a hand to pull up his sleeve. There was already a bruise forming where Shownu gripped his arm, either he was too low on blood or the guy really had it in for him. Something was definitely wrong. Seulgi reached out hesitantly to trace her fingers over the bruising skin, frowning at it. 

“We don’t have the time to go after them, we have to check our lead.” Hyungwon continued, pulling his arm away and rolling his sleeve back down. He walked out of the room, knowing Seulgi would follow, and searched the fridge for a blood bag. Nothing. They had nothing. Just the old carton of orange juice Changkyun had asked for. He closed it quickly before Seulgi could see, turning around and shrugging at her when she glared. 

“Suddenly I’m not hungry. Must be the adrenaline, we should go-“

“You may be the one who can read minds, but I still know you inside an out.”Seulgi said with a smile, walking into the kitchen and jumping up on the counter. “Come here.” She pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it to the floor. Hyungwon widened his eyes at her, definitely not expecting the striptease at a time like this. But here he was, the girl he loved sitting there biting her lip and staring at him with the most intense eyes, only wearing pants and a black lace bra. 

“Uh, not that I don’t _love_ this view, but don’t we have more important things? Shownu just made me into his bitch, if I wasn’t already-“

“I don’t want to get blood on my shirt, it’s the only clean one I have left. Now get your ass over here.” She interrupted, pulling her long hair up into a messy bun. Hyungwon knew this was coming, but they haven’t done this since… over a year probably. After talking to Changkyun and listening to how worried he was, he was starting to feel nervous he’d hurt her. Maybe she didn’t ever like it? Maybe she lied, maybe she was lying right now-

“Jagiya-“

“Oh, are we using that again? I didn’t know you wanted to be so serious all of a sudden. So you _do_ like me.” She rolled her eyes, reaching out her hands to him. “Don’t make me beg, you know how much I hate acting cute when my main job is killing.” Hyungwon groaned, walking over to kiss her so she’d shut up.He tried to clear his mind, push all the worry away while he explored her lips, hand traveling around her shoulders to find her neck. Seulgi used to love things rougher than he did, he wondered if that had changed since he’d been with her. It should have only seemed like a blink of an eye to someone who was centuries old, but missing her that whole time made it longer. His hand moved from her neck to her hair, pulling on it to tilt her head and deepen the kiss, no longer thinking about being hungry. He just wanted her. 

_Bite me already, we can do this later when we’re not busy._

Seulgi’s thought came through his head, pulling him back to reality. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer aggressively, Hyungwon falling into the counter. He pulled back, looking at her with his best pout, knowing all too well it wouldn’t work. 

“I was wrong, we have time-“

“Shownu just took off with a demon and a necromancer and we have to find the SVPC so we can get Taemin back and keep Wonho and Changkyun safe. We don’t.” She muttered, leaning forward to kiss his nose. “For a killer, you do look cute when you do that though.” Hyungwon sighed, leaning back in to kiss her neck, his other arm wrapping around her back to pull her against his chest. He forgot how much he missed being this close to her. He ignored her request, unhooking her bra while he kissed down to her collarbone, pulling it off and throwing it to the floor. 

“Oppa-“

_We can’t get blood on such a nice bra, now can we?_

He smiled as he kissed her skin, lips sinking lower to her breasts as his hands traced over her back. 

“Mmmm… maybe we can spare a minute or two?” Seulgi breathed, Hyungwon proud he finally had her in his control. Her legs tightened around his waist, hands reaching for the bottom of his shirt and tugging. 

_I know this a distraction… to what just happened-_

_Stop thinking._

Hyungwon pulled her off the counter and onto her feet, stepping back to take his shirt off and toss it to the side. 

“It’s kind of hard to just stop thinking after Shownu made you his bitch. You’re _my_ bitch-“

“-then think about what you want me to do to you.” Hyungwon interrupted lowly, ignoring her last comment. Seulgi cocked her head to the side, moving forward to wrap her hands around his neck and pull herself up for a kiss. 

_You know what would really be hot? If you fucking listened to me. Get a move on and bite me._

Maybe she was right about the bitch thing… Hyungwon regretted his decision immediately, she’d played him so easily. He shook his head, falling to his knees and leaving sloppy kisses along her stomach, hands reaching around her waist and gripping onto her ass. His kisses trailed further up until she’d had enough and pushed him onto his back, lowering down onto him and kissing his neck. 

_Do I have to remind you how to be a vampire?_

Hyungwon laughed, head back against the cold kitchen floor, not knowing exactly what she meant by that until she bit into his neck. 

“Ow, hey we talked about this!” He whined, arms wrapping around her back and rolling them over so he was hovering over her. She smiled innocently up at him, her hair fallen out of the bun and now in a mess around her face. Hyungwon reached to brush some out of her eyes, shaking his head at her. How could someone look so beautiful, but be so scary? He was an immortal being, afraid of a tiny human girl. 

“Yeah, yeah, I know. You’re a weak bitch and only you can do the biting because it serves a _purpose_.” She said sarcastically, making air quotes with her fingers on the last word. Hyungwon just rolled his eyes, angry that she looked so cute even when she was being a brat, and leaned down to close the space between them again. 

_Just shut up and keep kissing me-_

_Should I be concerned with that fact that you’re using me as a distraction?_

_No… because you’re using me as one too._

Hyungwon moved to kiss her neck, Seulgi’s nails tracing up his bare back. He might as well do what she wanted, he would never hear the end of it otherwise. Plus, he was already getting turned on and he needed to get this over with first. 

_Tell me when, I don’t want to hurt-_

_Stop overthinking and bite me damnit._

Seulgi’s grabbed a handful of his hair to pull him closer against her neck. He finally gave in, biting down as gently as he could, the girl wincing beneath him. As strong as she made herself out to be, she always seemed breakable to him. He let his eyes close, taking her taste in for the first time in over a year, remembering immediately just how good it was. He hadn’t drank from the vein since he’d been with her, and as the thick liquid traveled down his throat he realized just how much he missed it. The noises coming out of Seulgi made everything feel even better, his hand moving to lightly grab ahold of her chin to tilt her head more. He breathed her in, mind focussed on her over the blood the entire time, not allowing himself to give into it. He just needed to take enough so he could get back to kissing her again, but _God_ she tasted good. When she began to squirm beneath him, he pulled back, leaving kisses on her neck to clean up his mess.

“God, you’re so-“ he cut off, kissing down her neck and chest, Seulgi laughing at how impatient he was. “Here… let me, let-“ he was interrupted by Seulgi pulling him back up to her lips, fingers gripping tight in his hair to keep him close as she kissed him. Hyungwon used one hand to unbutton her jeans, hand sinking beneath her underwear as she moaned into his mouth. 

_We need to leave, we have a lead to follow-_

_A few minutes won’t hurt._

* * *

 

**Four Streets Over**

Jooheon looked over at Minhyuk sleeping, thinking back to the night he left. The moonlight was coming in through the motel window, shining on Minhyuk’s bare back. His deep black hair was a mess, head rested on Jooheon’s chest and arm wrapped around his side. He held onto him whenever he slept, no matter what, Jooheon had a sinking feeling it was because he was afraid of him leaving again. 

He kissed the top of Minhyuk’s head, laying his head back against the pillow and staring at the ceiling. He didn’t like sleeping these days, and luckily as a vampire he didn’t need to. Sleep led to dreams, and dreams led to remembering in vivid detail some of the horrible things he did. The first night he dreamt of Changkyun he woke up crying, Minhyuk trying his best to calm him down, but neither of them really knowing how to deal with the situation. Minhyuk’s thing was to push things down until they either exploded or were buried forever, but Jooheon didn’t have the luxury of trying that while he was being haunted by his past. 

He didn’t need to sleep, he could spend the time watching Minhyuk sleep in his arms. It was the most beautiful sight he could think of, he could watch him peaceful like this forever. He never thought he’d have him in his arms like this again. 

Jooheon wrapped his arm around Min’s back, rubbing small circles there with his thumb as he watched the fan turn above them. He wished time would just stop there so he wouldn’t have to deal with the aftermath of all the bad things happening currently. But it would never stop, and he would never be free of the consequences… he knew that. 

 

Minhyuk woke up when the sun shone in through the window, he’d always been a light sleeper. Jooheon was already out of bed, sat at the small table by the window and writing down the address Jackson had just given him. They were trying to find out the location of one of SVPC’s warehouses so they could go after Jongup. Jooheon had to keep Minhyuk and Changkyun safe, and the only way he could atone for what he did to both of them was finally killing the bastard. 

“Did you not sleep again?” Minhyuk asked him, stretching his arms above his head. Jooheon just shook his head, opening the old laptop they took from Jackson’s place to follow the news. Suddenly Minhyuk’s hands were around his shoulders, the boy leaning down from behind him to kiss his cheek. It almost felt like the way they were before… except every time Minhyuk kissed him now he just felt guilty. 

“We could probably get more done if I didn’t sleep either… I just missed laying in your arms.” Minhyuk whispered against his ear, Jooheon closing his eyes and leaning back against him. He wished he could go back, he wished he was as good at pretending everything was alright as Minhyuk was. 

“I called Jackson this morning, he has another lead of where they might be. I’m searching it now… I think we should check it out.” Jooheon said, getting back to business before his heart could sink too low. Minhyuk pulled away with a sigh, sitting down in the chair across from him and running a hand through his tangled hair. He was beautiful like this, Jooheon looked back down at the laptop screen. 

“So we’re following another lead. Right.” Minhyuk got back up, reaching for his shirt from the motel floor and pulling it on over his head. “And this one is different than the past seven we’ve gotten from him because-“

“-we have to try, Min.” Jooheon interrupted, breaking the burner phone and throwing it into the trashcan. He folded the scrap of newspaper he had written the address Jackson gave him on, stuffing it in his pocket. “We better go, we’ve already wasted too much time.” He looked up to see Minhyuk roll his eyes as he put his jacket on. 

“Wasted, huh?” Minhyuk glared, shutting the laptop in front of him. “I’ll be waiting in the car.” With that he grabbed their cooler of blood bags and walked out the door. Jooheon rolled his eyes, stuffing the laptop in his bag before standing up and slinging it over his shoulder. This was going to be a long day, he could already feel it. 

* * *

 

Hyungwon laid his head against the window of the car, trying not to think about where Shownu might be right now. Seulgi was driving, her hair tied up in a bun and a bandage on her neck. He stared at it, feeling a pang of guilt, and wishing he’d never have to take anymore. She didn’t seem to mind, but he hated hurting her. Being with her again was very bittersweet, because he knew he wouldn’t be with her forever. She would grow older, and he wouldn’t. No matter what, he would end up losing her. 

Seulgi noticed him staring at her out of the corner of her eye. She smiled, taking one hand off the steering wheel and reaching out to hold onto his thigh.

“What are you thinking about?” She asked, Hyungwon placing his hand over hers and sighing. She was good at keeping her mind guarded from him when she wanted to, so he couldn’t figure out what she was trying to get at like he did with everyone else. His safety blanket was gone.

“You.” He said, Seulgi laughing at the suddenness of it. 

“What about me, you sap?” She ventured, Hyungwon sitting back up and leaning over to kiss her on the cheek.

“Just how much I love you… How much I’ll miss you.” He said the last part a little softer, Seulgi’s smile dropping when she heard it. 

“Wonie-“

“No, it’s alright, let’s not talk about it.” He cut her off, kissing her temple before leaning back against the window. They had a lot bigger problems to deal with right now, he didn’t want to add a selfish one on top of the mix. Changkyun and Wonho were still in hiding, Shownu was off running with demons because losing Kihyun made him crazy, and Jooheon and Minhyuk were still missing. Not to mention the whole world was in fucking shambles, but that was just the icing on the cake. Now was the worst time to even try talking about his and Seulgi’s future together, he might not even have a future within the next few days. 

Suddenly his phone started ringing and both of them jumped. Hyungwon grabbed it out of his pocket, seeing Wonho’s name on the caller I.D. It was most likely Changkyun again. He told him, specifically, to text.

“Hello? What did I tell you about-“

“Guess what happened!” Wonho’s voice came through the line excitedly, catching him off guard. Hyungwon rolled his eyes, laughing and putting the phone on speaker so Seulgi could experience the mess that was bound to happen. 

“I told you this phone was for emergencies only- but what’s up?” He asked, a smile in his voice. Seulgi looked over at him with raised eyebrows, shaking her head before looking back at the road in front of her.

“I know I know, I just wanted to tell you first because I- we- me and Changkyun- we, I mean-“

“-fucked. You fucked, right?” Hyungwon interrupted, Seulgi holding in a laugh as Wonho made incomprehensible sounds on the other end.

“I wouldn’t use _that_ word-“

“I swear to God if you say ‘make love’ I am disowning you forever.” Hyungwon said, Wonho becoming quiet on the other end. Damn, he was really going to use that one, the kid was really whipped this time. Hyungwon suddenly felt like he had to throw up.

“Okay, I won’t, but you get the point… Wonie it was so _good_ , and he’s-“

“I really would rather not know the details, I’ve seen enough in both or your heads.” Hyungwon said, but he couldn’t help the smile spreading across his face at how happy Wonho sounded. He hadn’t heard him like this in decades. It was… refreshing. 

“Okay, okay, fine. But I also wanted to call to tell you I had to drink from him… We ran out, and I was afraid, but he made it so much easier- fuck, I forgot how good it tasted. And I didn’t lose control, not even a little bit, he was the only thing on my mind the whole time.” Wonho said, sounding like a teenager in high school. Chang really did it, Hyungwon smiled proudly and made the mental note to talk to the kid about it sometime. 

“That’s great, honey.” Hyungwon said sarcastically, Seulgi finally unable to keep her laugh inside.

“Am I on speaker? Are you with-“

“Hi. Sorry, you’re just really cute.” Seulgi said at the phone, Wonho becoming quiet on the other end. Hyungwon could almost see the blush on his face. 

“Thank you? I think? I probably sound like an idiot… Wow, I’m an idiot, I’m a-“

“You’ve got it bad for him, brother.” Hyungwon interrupted, smiling when Seulgi squeezed his thigh. “Anyway, you guys stay low, okay? We’re following a lead right now, so I’m going to have to go.” He continued, not wanting to say anything about Shownu that would ruin Wonho’s current happiness. 

“Sorry, I just really wanted to talk to you… Be careful, both of you.” He answered, Hyungwon biting his lip when a wave a sadness washed over him at the words. He wanted everything to go back to normal, and he hated having to lie to the people he was closest to. 

“We will, I love you. Tell Changkyun I said I love him too.” 

“I will. I love you, bye.” With that he hung up and Hyungwon dropped the phone on his lap, sighing deeply and resting his head back against the seat.

“Should I have told him? Maybe I should have told him-“

“Let him have this. He’s really happy.” Seulgi answered, hand moving from his thigh to intertwine with his hand. He knew she was right, but it would eat at his mind until he saw Wonho again. 

When they finally arrived at the address, it didn’t look like much. Just an old warehouse that seemed like it had been abandoned years ago. There wasn’t even a fence around it, but they made sure to park a few streets over anyway. Their goal was to stay low, so they didn’t want to leave any traces while they were checking it out. Seulgi put on a black sweatshirt over her tank top before she got out of the car.

“You know, you don’t need that-“

“I like looking cute and dangerous.” She interrupted, opening the trunk of the car to reveal all the weapons she kept there. Hyungwon would never cease to be amazed by this girl, he secretly wished she would be the one to take him out in the end. He’d been alive… too long. If he didn’t have to worry about his family, he would just end it all when she ended. His biggest fear was the centuries that followed her inevitable death. It was as if he found himself counting the seconds he had with her, regretting the years he was away. 

“Do you hear anything?” She continued, taking a gun out and attaching it to Hyungwon’s belt. He pulled himself out of his thoughts and concentrated on the dark building a street over, using his telepathy as a satellite dish. Everything that was coming through was pretty hazy and hard to interpret because it was still rather far and he didn’t know the people inside. It was easier to connect his mind to people he knew. At this point it was more of sensing the presence of people inside, not hearing whole sentences. It was enough for them to check out.

_“_ We might be on to something this time.” Hyungwon answered, opening his eyes again and reaching into the trunk to grab the syringe of delphinium to stuff in his back pocket. Seulgi raised her eyebrows, hiding weapon after weapon on her body. He wondered how she hid so much on such a small body, but every time he asked her she just mentioned her training. Thinking of it upset him, she was just a kid when it started. 

“Okay, so are we doing this now?” She asked, closing the trunk and looking up at him. Now or never. He nodded, taking out his phone to send the warning message to Ravi. They would need backup if this was to work out. 

Hyungwon took a deep breath, looking down the street than back to her while he put his phone away. She was still waiting for the verdict, those beautiful brown eyes blinking up at him. He reached down to lift her up, kissing her slower than he ever had before, as if counting the seconds in his head. 

_Let’s go._

* * *

 

Jooheon looked down the vent opening Minhyuk pointed out, shining a flashback down into it. It seemed big enough to fit them, he just had to unscrew the sides so they could get inside. He looked over at Minhyuk laying beside him on the roof. Min smiled at him, but his smile was nervous. 

“We can fit.” Jooheon said, moving to sit up and pull the pocket knife out of his pocket. He started unscrewing the sides, Minhyuk sitting up and leaning in close to rest his chin on Jooheon’s shoulder. 

“What’s the plan, we can’t possibly-“

“-we’re just scoping it out. However… if I can get a clear shot of that bastard, I’ll take it.” Jooheon interrupted, lifting up the vent cover and throwing it the side. Minhyuk didn’t seem angry anymore, he just seemed on edge. Jooheon had the urge to pull him into his arms and tell him to wait up here while he took care of everything, but he knew he couldn’t. Everything between them still felt wrong. Intimacy felt wrong, kisses felt like lies, hugs felt like suffocating. Jooheon wished the guilt would start to leave once Jongup was dead, but he knew it wouldn’t. 

He leaned his head against Min’s, hand reaching out to intertwine their fingers. If he pretended enough, maybe things would be normal again. Minhyuk squeezed his hand in response, moving his head off this shoulder to look at him. 

“Ready?” Jooheon asked, Minhyuk nodded as he threw his bag back over his shoulder and prepared to climb down into the vent. Once he was inside, Jooheon followed after him, staying close as they made their way down the small space. 

It was cramped and hot, and every sound echoed. Jooheon was worried someone would hear, but he tried to stay focussed. He had to protect Minhyuk at all costs, even at his own expense. When they finally came to one of the first vent openings, Minhyuk crawled to the other side so they could both look down it. The lights were on, which was promising. Other places Jackson had sent them to look into were completely abandoned and they ended up going home empty-handed. Jooheon rested his chin on his palms, peeking down through the air conditioner slits to see some people passing underneath. Not human, he didn’t smell any human blood coming from them. They were wearing the SVPC jacket Jongup used to wear a lot when he met up with them. Seeing it again sparked Jooheon’s memory, and suddenly the view below him was replaced with the image of a blinding white room. 

His breathing was suddenly quicker as he looked down to see his hands cuffed to a metal table. The lights above him were so bright he could barely keep his eyes open. The flashback felt so real, muffled voices of doctors on either side of him, a needle in his arm, a purple liquid pumping down a clear tube… He was trying to move, but he couldn’t, his whole body felt like he was on fire. There was screaming, his screaming, echoing within his head. He felt like he was dying, and suddenly all he saw was red-

“Hey, hey hey hey come back to me.” Minhyuk whispered, palms on each side of his face. Jooheon blinked his eyes, slowly coming back to this reality as he stared into Minhyuk’s worried eyes. “Where’d you go?” He asked, even the softest whisper sounding like it vibrated throughout the whole vent.

“Flashback… I’m okay.” Jooheon said shortly, looking back down through the vent and realizing his whole body was shaking. Minhyuk’s hands moved to his arms, squeezing them in reassurance. That was the first time he had a flash of that room. He didn’t remember anything about it, and the purple liquid was something he had never seen before. Delphinium was blue… what had they been filling his veins with then?

Minhyuk reached in his bag and pulled out one of the small spy camera they brought, attaching it to the side of the vent facing down. Their plan was to set up as many as they could, but now that he was here Jooheon had the urge to jump through the vent and find Jongup himself. 

_What the actual flying fuck are you fucking doing here?_

Jooheon jumped at the sudden voice in his head, almost hitting the side of the vent. Minhyuk had a similar reaction, so he presumed Hyungwon was in both of their heads. 

“He’s here?” Min whispered, Jooheon thanking God or whatever was out there that he hadn’t actually hit the vent. The sound would have given them away for sure. 

_The real question is why the fuck are you here? You can’t just come into people’s brains uninvited, Wonie._

_I was searching the minds in the area and happened to stumble upon you two idiots. Seulgi an I are here following a lead. We have our people on the way, don’t do anything rash-_

_We’re just setting up cameras-_

_Don’t need those. We’re going all in tonight. Just keep moving until you find the vent that leads to a closet. We’re inside. Stay safe and don’t do anything stupid or I’ll fucking kill you myself._

Minhyuk’s eyes grew wide, and Jooheon guessed Hyungwon told him something very similar. Leave it to their brother to come in last minute and be the hero. This was Jooheon’s fight. He wasn’t going to hide, he was going to be the last one Jongup saw before he died. He had to be. 

“Change of plans?” Minhyuk asked, reaching to pick the camera back up. 

“You can say that.” Jooheon pulled the gun out of his back pocket and punched out the vent in front of them. He leaned in to kiss Minhyuk before Min could get a word out, the sounds of footsteps running towards the crash below them. 

“I'll never stop loving you.” Jooheon said against his lips, kissing him roughly one last time before jumping down into the hallway below. 

_Take care of Minhyuk, make sure he’s safe._

He had nothing to lose now. 


	18. Seven Devils

Wonho hung up the phone before climbing back into bed with Changkyun. He hoped Hyungwon and Seulgi would stay safe, it was maddening not being able to help out with anything. Changkyun stirred in his sleep when Wonho snuggled closer to him under the blanket. He laid his head on his chest and closed his eyes, pushing all the worry out of his head. The movement of the bed must have woken Chang up, because Wonho felt the soft touch of his lips on his forehead.

“Are you alright?” Changkyun asked, voice clouded in sleep. Wonho just moved closer as if Changkyun would disappear if he let go. 

“Mhmm… just worried.” He said, Changkyun’s hand tracing over Wonho’s arm in comfort.

“Come on… move over.” Wonho rolled onto his side, Changkyun wrapping himself around his back. He left kisses on the back of his neck and his bare shoulder, and Wonho swore he could die right there and be happy. He wasn’t used to being held like this… he was usually the one doing the holding. Changkyun’s arms around him felt like a blanket. He reached to intertwine their fingers, bringing their connected hands against his chest. 

He was never going to let go again. 

 

Loud banging at the door jolted both of them up. Wonho instinctively sat up and pulled Changkyun into his arms. He checked the clock, 3:49 AM, he must have dozed off for a few hours. 

“Who-?”

The banging got louder, and a deep voice yelled through the door for them to open up.

“We need to go. Sounds like cops-“

“We can’t just run out the back door and expect to be fine-“

“-put on some clothes, get what you need. Fast.” Wonho interrupted, getting up from the bed to search the room for his own clothes. He nearly tripped while pulling his pants up, and the banging grew louder with each second that passed. He wouldn’t have Changkyun taken away from him again. He couldn’t. 

He ran into the kitchen to get the gun out of the drawer and cock it. Changkyun was rummaging around the bedroom, throwing things in a bag and putting on another pair of Wonho’s clothes as if he couldn’t find his own. Wonho bit his lip, wondering how long the door would hold. He ran over to the bedroom to shut it, but Changkyun reached out and stopped him.

“Hyung, no-”

“There’s a window in there, get as far as you can-“

“I’m not leaving you.” A second later the door gave way, and one familiar face alongside two hooded figures stood in the now-open doorway. 

“Jackson?” Wonho asked as Changkyun finally pushed out of the doorway. Jackson put his hands up in a surrender type motion as Wonho grabbed for Changkyun to pull him behind his back. “Couldn’t you have just said, ‘hey it’s Jackson, open up’? Did you really have to bust the fucking door in-?!”

“That was their idea, not mine. Take those hoods off anyway, you’re not impressing anyone.” Jackson muttered towards the two unknown figures. Wonho’s grip on Changkyun tightened and he got ready to fight if he needed to. Jackson Wang was an idiot, but Jackson Wang was not so much of an idiot as to bring Jongup and pals into their safe house. 

“There are a lot of people looking for us, Wang, this isn’t for show. We needed to make sure we could trust you.” One voice muttered before they pulled off the hood to reveal a face Wonho had never seen before. He was pretty tall, brown scruffy hair, and eyes black from corner to corner. Demon. Wonho suddenly retracted his prior statement, Jackson Wang was _beyond_ an idiot. He lifted up the gun in front of him as he inched towards the bedroom door. 

“You don’t need that, I just want to talk.” The gun flew from Wonho’s hand and into the demon’s, who hid it away. Instant fear washed over Wonho, and Changkyun reached to hold onto his waist.

“Name’s Namjoon.” He said, a smile flashed across his face as he nudged the figure next to him. “And the dumbass still hiding is Jungkook… he’s new.” He pulled the hood off the guy’s head to reveal blood red hair and the same black eyes. Changkyun pushed Wonho’s hand away and stepped around him to get a better look. Curiosity really was going to get this one killed. 

“What are-?”

“Demons.” Wonho whispered. Namjoon walked forward and Changkyun’s hand tightened on his waist. 

“We’re here because of the trouble your alpha got himself into.” He said, eyes returning back to their human form. Wonho caught Jackson’s eye over his head expecting him to understand, but the guy seemed equally confused. Alpha?

“You mean… Shownu?” Wonho asked, Namjoon nodded in response. Jungkook made a sound of annoyance as he pulled his phone out of the pocket of his hoodie to scroll through it. Wonho tried not to get distracted by the unusual demon. 

“Son Hyunwoo is disrupting the order, and he’s using two of my men to do so.” Wonho had half a mind to call Hyungwon, but he didn’t want to worry him. He was already busy with this lead, an update on Shownu that had to do with _demons_ would push him beyond his stress level. 

“Can’t you just talk normal?” Jackson asked, “Shownu called up Yoongi and his necromancer to bring Kihyun back from the dead. They’re mad about the family necromancer being in the public eye right now.” Jackson’s words didn’t hit him at first, because Wonho was actually worried this Namjoon guy was going to kill Jackson right then and there. 

“You know I can just snap my fingers and kill you-“

“Sorry.” It had been awhile since he’d heard that word from Jackson. No sarcastic remarks to buff up his ego, he just looked purely terrified. 

Shownu’s trying to bring Kihyun back? Could it actually work? Up until now Wonho thought necromancers were just stories Shownu told him to spook him out of asking any more questions about his private life. But if this Yoongi he talked about is actually real, and he has a necromancer with him…. Wonho could see why Shownu was doing what he was doing. However, he didn’t know how this whole thing worked, and judging by the two hooded demons busting into the place in the early hours of the morning the consequences seemed pretty high. 

“I don’t know where he is, I’m not any help.” Wonho answered, but Namjoon didn’t seem convinced. 

“We know, that’s why we’re using you was bait.” Wonho backed up a step and reached behind him to hold onto Changkyun. 

“We’re not going anywhere-“

“Hoseok, do you really think it’s smart to-?” 

“-I never said both of you. Just you.” The demon cut off Jackson and looked around Wonho to smirk at Changkyun. Wonho’s eyes suddenly turned red and his incisors rested on his bottom lip.

“It’s cute how defensive he gets. Reminds me of Yoongi hyung.” The kid, Jungkook, said. Wonho glared over Namjoon’s shoulder at Jackson. That _bastard_. 

“The scent we left coming here may attract some vamps… Hopefully your human pet can put up a decent fight.” Wonho wanted to claw the smirk off of Namjoon’s face, but he knew that would just cause more problems. He was no match for demons. How did he always get into situations where he wasn’t able to protect the one person who needed it most? He was weak… he’d failed again. 

“Vamps aren’t a problem for me.” Changkyun spoke up from behind Wonho, an air of confidence to his voice that Wonho hadn’t heard in awhile. Jungkook actually looked up from his phone and watched Changkyun with new interest. 

“Oh? Well in that case, we can’t risk leaving stragglers behind. Can I have some fun, hyung?” Jungkook asked as he walked around Namjoon to step in front of Wonho. The kid was level with his height, eyes turning black as a smile stretched across his face. It would have been a fair fight if he wasn’t a demon. Wonho wouldn’t even get a punch in, he knew that. 

“Do what you want, we just need Hoseok.” Namjoon said, seeming exhausted by the kid. 

“As we said before, we have a lot of people looking for us. We thought the vamps would take care of lose ends. But if you’re so confident, I guess we’ll have to make it a little easier for them, huh-?”

“Don’t even lay a finger on him.” Wonho said, pushing Changkyun back more.

“Hoseok-“

“Shut up, Wang, this is your doing.” Before Wonho could do anything Changkyun was between him and Jungkook, his chin high and hands clenched at his sides. 

“Do whatever you need to.” Changkyun said. Wonho reached to pull him away, but he couldn’t move. He tried again and again, but it was as if his body was frozen and glued to the floor. He looked up in fear to see Jungkook’s black eyes staring back at him. He was useless. 

“This human has some balls on him. Damn has it been awhile since I’ve met one like him.” Namjoon said with a sense of nostalgia. 

“Kyun, get back-!”

“I’m tired of hearing his voice.” Jungkook interrupted, and suddenly Wonho’s mouth was sewn shut by some unseeable force. Fucking demons.

“Hoseok hasn’t done anything to you. You’re just using him to find Hyunwoo, right?” Changkyun asked, and Wonho started to wonder where he was going with this. He tried to break out of the invisible hold, but Jungkook was too strong for him. Changkyun was only inches away, and he still couldn’t reach him.

“Right… so what?”

“You can do whatever you want with me, but don’t do him any harm. You have no business with him.” Jungkook didn’t seem very intrigued. Wonho struggled to yell, but all that came out were muffled hums. He hated being powerless, and the need to reach out and pull Changkyun back to his chest was almost agonizing.

“How sweet.” Jungkook said as he took out a blade covered in runes from his belt. Changkyun didn’t even flinch. “Too bad you have no authority here, you’ll die either way. Sucks.”

Namjoon rolled his eyes and walked over to grab Wonho’s arm, pulling him towards the door. His limbs weren’t frozen anymore, but as hard as he struggled he couldn’t get free from the demon’s grasp. If there was a hell, this would be it. He felt like his whole body was on fire, muscles shaking as he tried to break free. He shouted the second he could move his lips again.

“Don’t hurt him! Take him as bait for Shownu, he’s part of the family. Do whatever you want with me, but don’t hurt him!” Wonho looked to Jackson, who had backed towards the front door with wide eyes. “You motherfucker! This is all on you-!”

“Wonho, it’s okay. It’s going to be okay.” Changkyun interrupted, looking at him with calm eyes. Wonho shook his head, he wouldn’t accept it. He fought against Namjoon, but it was like swimming against the current. All he could do was scream. Please God let someone hear them. 

“Come on Kook, we’re running late, just leave him for the vamps-“

“Don’t you _fucking_ touch him-!”

“Why did you let him speak again?” Namjoon asked, Jungkook just shrugged his shoulders in response as he looked at Changkyun, twirling the knife in his hand. Changkyun kept his eyes on Wonho, not paying any attention to the demon in front of him. He tried to keep a brave front, but his eyes betrayed him. Wonho could tell how scared he was by his body language alone. He could never lie to him.

“I want to hear him scream.” Jungkook said, turning to smile at Wonho, the knife falling still as his hand wrapped around Changkyun’s neck to pull him closer. “Let’s make this fun.”

Jungkook plunged the knife straight into his abdomen.

Changkyun disappeared with the snap of Jungkook’s fingers.

* * *

 

   Out of nowhere a sharp pain erupted in Hyungwon’s head that sent him falling into the wall. Seulgi ran over to him, worried hands on his chest, but the pain seemed to go away just as fast as it came.

“What’s wrong? What is it?” She asked, another sharp pain shooting through his abdomen. There was the distant hint of a voice in his head. A scream. He felt sick.

“I don’t know… Something isn’t right.” He breathed, the scream filling his head so loud it threatened to rip the seams of his brain. Someone was asking for help… it sounded like-

“Changkyun’s hurt.” He said, the scream shooting through again with agonizing pain. He was almost on the ground at this point. Telepathic connections don’t usually travel this far. Either something was _very_ wrong or Changkyun was there somehow.

_help_ _…!_

Suddenly the pain was gone, and the voice left with it. Hyungwon felt tears rolling down his face, along with the faint shadow of a pain in his stomach. Seulgi stared up at him in fear, her hands holding onto his sides to keep him upright. 

“I- I think he’s-“ Hyungwon was cut off by the same loud scream in his head. He fell to his knees, head falling against Seulgi’s stomach. He gripped her waist to try to keep himself grounded, the pain in his head was like nothing he’d experienced before. Well… there was one time. 

“What’s happening?!” Seulgi’s hands reached for Hyungwon’s, which were clenched over his ears. “What do I do? How do I help?” Her hands were anxious, moving over his head as if she could make it all go away. 

“I don’t know, I haven’t felt a connection path like this since…” Hyungwon trailed off, not wanting to finish the thought. He fell into Seulgi and closed his eyes, searching the minds that were inside the building to see if he could pick up on Changkyun again.

_Changkyun? Where are you, what’s wrong?_

Nothing _._

_Changkyun! Answer me!_

Still nothing. 

The connection seemed to be fading in an out, there was definitely something wrong. 

_Wonie?_

Hyungwon’s breath caught in his throat when he heard the voice in his head. He had to be here. He had to be somewhere. He looked up at Seulgi and wiped the tears off his cheeks in frustration.

“He’s here, I have to go.” Seulgi helped pull him back onto his feet and reached up to cup his cheeks in her hands. 

“Don’t die on me now, I’ll have to kill you. Keep him safe.” Her eyes were terrified. It’d been awhile since he’d seen her this scared. He wished she was far away from this place. Somewhere safe.

“Promise.” Hyungwon leaned down to kiss her cheek before collecting himself and running out into the flashing hallway. 

_Just hold on, kid, I’ll find you._

* * *

 

 

Minhyuk stared down the open vent in shock. Jooheon wasn’t in sight anymore, but he could hear the fighting echoing throughout the halls. He stuffed the cameras back in his bag and slung it over his shoulder. He had all the weapons with him, Jooheon had gone in nearly empty handed. He couldn’t stay put for too long, Jooheon needed him. He was an idiot to think Minhyuk wouldn’t follow. 

_What are we going to do?_

_Seulgi is on it… Please stay out of sight, help is on the way-_

_What? Where are you-!?_

_Changkyun… I think he’s hurt-_

_Jooheon will_ die!

_This was his choice. Don’t do anything stupid._

   Min could have screamed right there. It was always about Changkyun. Saving Changkyun, protecting Changkyun… Changkyun Changkyun Changkyun- 

He wanted to push the thoughts out of his head and not let old jealously get to him. He liked this kid, he was worried too, but right now… he could use the anger. 

_Make sure he’s alright._

Minhyuk took a deep breath and jumped down through the opening of the vent. He stood in the middle of the flashing red hallway with a grenade outstretched in one hand and a knife in the other. His eyes scanned the hallway in front of him with a sort of exhilaration that terrified him. 

There were three guys currently on Jooheon, but he seemed to be handling them pretty well. Easy targets. Within seconds more guards turned the corner at the end of the hall and aimed guns at them. Harder targets. 

His eyes finally fell on Jongup, hidden behind the new arrivals with a humored look on his face. The only target Min cared about.

He cocked his head to the side, holding his arms open as his eyes turned deep red.

“Mind if I join?”

 

 

 


	19. Heaven is the Place We Know

_Jagiya… open your eyes._

The voice was warm. He didn’t even remember what _warm_ felt like, but the word seemed right. Familiar.

It was dark. No, it was just still. The stillness was all there was. No thoughts, no feelings, no… _anything_. 

Just the still. 

_You’ll be late again for our date…_

The words were familiar too, something about them sparked a feeling in his chest different from the stillness.

Pain. It was excruciating. 

He tried to latch onto the feeling… anything was better than the nothing. 

_…come back to me_

* * *

 

Suddenly he was pulled out of the nothing into a surge of feeling. Breath entered his lungs so quickly it singed his throat. His mind buzzed with a deafening scream, and it took him a second to realize it was coming from him. Someone warm reached for him, their touch comforting against the pain. It was the same warmth that drew him out of that place. 

“Shhh, it’s okay, you’re alright. Breathe.” The words were too loud… everything was too loud. He tried to gulp in air, the feeling of his body trying to work again like the slow breaking of bones. His chest felt too stiff to breathe in, and every new movement _hurt_. Every muscle ached, every breath felt like drowning, and every inch of skin burned when the air touched it. The atmosphere was crushing, as if the entire sky had returned to his shoulders at once. He could _feel_ the blood enter his veins, scorching through his frozen body.

As soon as the feeling of life spread through his body, the shadow of the nothingness terrified him. He had forgotten who he was… he had forgotten how to feel. He had nothing to hold onto, not even himself. The looming emptiness made him panic. 

Everything hit him at once. The bullet, the pain, the feeling of slipping away. The regret, the fear, the sadness of leaving people behind.

The nothing.

He couldn’t open his eyes yet, the light was too much. He moved towards the voice until arms enveloped him like a raging fire. He needed to find anything tangible that distracted from the nihility of the place he’d just come back from. He needed to remember how to _feel_.

The arms burned against the fading cold of his body, but he’d rather be burned alive than be deprived of feeling altogether.

   He’d rather exist in pain, if it meant he existed at all.

“I’ve got you, I’m not letting you go again. Everything is going to be okay.” That voice… these arms… they were familiar. They were comforting. 

They were home. 

   It felt like an eternity before his eyes could adjust to the intense light that surrounded him. The first thing they focused on was a red plaid shirt. He remembered wearing that plaid. He remembered feeling sad when he wore it. There was a name he couldn’t remember. Someone he loved. Someone who left him.

Someone he left.

He grabbed for the material and clenched it in his fists so he wouldn’t be pulled back to the nothing. The feeling of something in his hands was foreign, and suddenly he wanted to touch everything. He lifted his eyes to see the face of the person holding him, and the second he saw him everything came flooding back. 

_Hyunwoo_. The name was Hyunwoo, the person he had loved more than anyone else in his lifetime. The person he had left behind. A feeling he had forgotten. 

“Hyunwoo.” He said, the words painful when they left his throat. He didn’t care. He could feel again… he was _someone_ again. 

“Yes, I’m here. I’ve got you.” There were tears in Hyunwoo’s eyes. He reached up to wipe them away, but Hyunwoo caught his hand and kissed it. Everything was still a blinding pain, but his lips felt soft against his sensitive skin.

“I couldn’t live without you, Kihyun. I’m sorry.” Kihyun… his name was Kihyun. Everything was starting to come back to him now. Flashes of memories that hurt his head, screaming color back into the black and white stillness he’d been lost in. His name was Kihyun, Hyunwoo was the love of his life, and he had four other boys he’d left behind… five. 

“There was… nothing.” He couldn’t look away from Hyunwoo. He took in every inch with his eyes like he was memorizing a painting. Hyunwoo was more than a name, more than a person… he was a feeling. The feeling of home.

“It’s okay, you’re here now. I’ll make sure you never go back. I’ll keep you safe.” Hyunwoo’s words were frantic and sincere, but Kihyun knew he didn’t really have control over that. His first instinct was to take care of him. He’d let him believe anything if it made him feel alright. But after being there… he could _feel_ the inevitability. Even now that he was back, part of him felt hollow. 

“I love you.” His voice caught on tears and he curled up in Hyunwoo’s arms as the life agonizingly entered his body again. Hyunwoo’s hold lessened the pain, if even for a little bit.

Wherever he’d been, it wasn’t heaven or hell. This feeling, these arms… they were his heaven. 

  His family was heaven, and leaving them was hell.

And death… that was nothing.


	20. Fire and Ice

   He thought he’d been punched in the gut until he saw the knife sticking in his side. 

By the time it registered in his head that he’d been stabbed, the echo of Wonho’s scream was replaced with a bright white hallway and a blaring alarm. He didn’t know where he was, nothing about his surroundings was familiar. Just as swiftly as he’d gotten there, a pain erupted in his side. The skin around the blade felt like it was in flames, burning him from the inside out. He couldn’t hold his scream in, his whole body felt like a loose fuse about to erupt. Something wasn’t normal. He’s been hurt before… but something about this felt wrong. 

He understood the second he saw the knife. The runes on the blade glowed red. Each second that passed, the heat seemed to get more excruciating. He wanted to pull it out, to make it stop, but he knew if he did there would be no way he could stop the bleeding. His body tensed up as the fire passed through his veins. Between the blaring alarm and his own screaming, he’d barely noticed the echo of gunshots coming from down the hall. Something told him he wasn’t in a safe place… But there was no way he could move. He tried his best, ripping his shirt around the knife to get a better look at the wound. The knife was deep, and black veins had spread out in all directions from where it met with his skin. They burned as they grew. Either he’d die from this, or he’d die from blood loss. 

As the seconds ticked on, the spreading runes felt like a fire igniting underneath his skin. He couldn’t handle it anymore. He reached for the blade, the handle alone burning his palm, and pulled it out. It was agonizing. The fire didn’t leave with the dagger, it spread even faster. The black veins running up his stomach changed into the runes that were written on the blade. Whatever it was… it was being passed to him, and he couldn’t stop it. 

His mind screamed for Hyungwon, his name like a fire alarm going off in his head. He was the only one who could possibly hear him. Wonho was far away, the others were who knows where, and he was dying.

Fuck… he was going to die. 

The panic set in when the thought passed through his mind. His hand reached for the cross around his neck, but he was barely able to hold onto it with his hand shaking so much. Dealing with Jooheon for over a year, he’d thought he was prepared for death. But now that it was closing in on him, he was terrified. He didn’t want to die alone.

_Just hold on, kid, I’ll find you._

He felt like he could breathe again once he heard Hyungwon’s voice in his head. 

_I don’t think I can-_

_It’s okay, I’m almost there, you’re going to be okay._

_No… no, I’m not._

_Don’t say that. Stay with me._

His hands were numb now, which made it too hard to keep enough pressure on the wound. He was losing blood too fast, he should have just left the dagger in. His body was in flames either way. The more blood he lost, the colder he got, and the more his body shook. The burning of the runes against his shivering body felt like a bad fever. It was as if he could feel everything at once. 

“Changkyun!” Hyungwon’s arms were on him within seconds, and Changkyun screamed out in pain when he put pressure down on the open wound. 

“Oh fuck- what happened?! What are these markings? How’d you get here? Who did this?” Hyungwon asked, his voice unstable and rambling. It was hard to concentrate on his words, he couldn’t even keep his eyes open anymore. He fell limp against the wall, the fire fading into a numbness that scared him. 

_Everything is burning… but it’s cold…please make it stop._

“Hey… hey hey hey, open your eyes for me, Chang. Open your eyes, don’t give up now.” He could feel himself drifting further away from Hyungwon the longer he kept his eyes shut. He tried to pull himself back while he still could, concentrating on Hyungwon’s voice. He couldn’t leave yet, he couldn’t leave _them_. Not only Wonho… but all of them. He needed them, and some of them needed him. He’d finally found where he belonged, he didn’t want to let go of it so soon. 

_I can’t-_

“Come back to me, come on-“ Hyungwon shook his shoulders, and the pain jolted him out of the numbness. His eyes opened to meet Hyungwon’s tear-stained face. He’d never seen him cry before. He never wanted to. 

“I-“ he coughed up some blood, and fear passed over Hyungwon’s face. “I don’t think I’m going to-“

“Shut up. Don’t even say it, you’re going to be fine.” Hyungwon looked down the hallway anxiously as the gunshots and shouting grew closer. Changkyun knew he wouldn’t make it out of there. He reached out and grabbed Hyungwon’s hand, pulling it to him. He held on like it was the only thing keeping him grounded. 

He was too afraid to let go. 

“I-I’m scared, Wonie.” Hyungwon seemed to break the second the words left his lips, and he immediately regretted making him feel worse. 

“You’re going to be okay. Don’t be scared, I’ve got you-“

“Stop lying to me,” Changkyun interrupted, grip tight on Hyungwon’s hand. “Stop lying… Just don’t leave me.” Hyungwon kept shaking his head, Changkyun barley able to feel his other hand pressed over the wound. He was becoming too numb.

“I’m not going anywhere, and neither are you.” Hyungwon couldn’t hold the sobs back anymore. Seeing him like this was surreal, and it hurt Changkyun more than any wound could. He tried his best to lift his other hand and wiped the tears from Hyungwon’s cheeks, which just made him cry harder.

“I’m sorry-“

“No. Don’t start that bullshit. Don’t…” Hyungwon trailed off, looking down at his hand covered in Changkyun’s blood. The panic in his eyes made Changkyun realize just how bad it was. 

“I can fix this, I can fix this…“ Changkyun couldn’t stop shivering, the fire almost completely replaced with the cold. Hyungwon’s hands held on tighter as if he could keep Changkyun alive through sheer will alone. When he put more pressure on the wound, Changkyun screamed, and more tears fell down Hyungwon’s cheeks.

“I can fix this… I can turn you.” He said, his voice beginning to sound further away again. Changkyun could feel himself slipping, and the thought of losing consciousness forever terrified him. It was so cold and his body already felt like dead weight. He went to reach for his cross again, but his hand found Hyungwon instead.

“Chang… do you want me to?” Hyungwon’s voice was frail. For the first time, he lacked confidence. He sounded like a completely different person. 

   _J_ _ust make it stop. Please._

_Are you sure?_

_Yes._

_Okay… Concentrate on me. Don’t let go of me._

Hyungwon pulled Changkyun into his lap, the movement making him want to scream. 

_I’m sorry, I’m sorry… hold on, it’s okay- it will be over soon._

Changkyun let his eyes close again as he fell against Hyungwon’s chest. He put all his trust in him, keeping his mind focussed on his even as the cold threatened to pull him under. Hyungwon cradled his head in his hand, and the faint warmth of his lips touched down on his neck. Everything was becoming numb again, but Hyungwon was warm. Not the type of warm like the fire under his skin, but the type of warm that made him want to stay alive. He held onto that. He held onto him. 

_I’m sorry-_

Changkyun could barely feel him bite into his neck. He gripped onto Hyungwon’s arm for as long as he could. The more blood he lost, the harder it was to feel. He was sinking.

_It’s scary, but it’ll be over soon - Know that I love you, kid. I don’t want to hurt you._

Changkyun felt something warm against his lips.

_Drink. You need to drink for me. Please…_

The warm thick liquid burned his throat as it went down. The more he drank, the more his body burned. He wanted to stop and go back to the cold, but he couldn’t leave yet. It hurt… but he’s dealt with hurt for years now. 

The liquid no longer burned his throat, but his whole body started to convulse. Everything intensified. Every touch, every breathe, every movement. He could feel everything, and all he could do was scream. Hyungwon tried to soothe him, but even his hands felt like knives on his skin.

The pain got so bad he couldn’t push through it anymore. 

_It’s okay to let go now. I’ll be here when you wake up._

Within seconds the whole world seemed to pause around him as he sunk into unconsciousness.

 

* * *

 

 

 

He screamed for Changkyun as the room disappeared around them. Tears filled his eyes when he realized what happened. Changkyun was out of his reach now. He was gone now. 

A new room surrounded them, and an argument began between demons the second they arrived. Wonho heard Shownu’s voice, but he couldn't concentrate on what was happening. He couldn’t think straight, let alone keep himself upright.

Shownu caught him before he could drop to his knees. Wonho didn’t think twice about what Shownu had done, he just collapsed in sobs against him.

“What happened? What’s going on, why are you here?” Shownu asked, but Wonho was unable to answer anything. Part of him wanted to push him off, to scream at him, to make him realize what he’d caused. But there was something stopping him.

Just that morning, Changkyun had been in his arms. Just that morning, he was breathing. Just that morning, his hands were warm, his heart was beating, his eyes were shining. Just that morning, he was in love. 

Just that morning he was alive. 

That’s what stopped him, what made him hold onto his hyung so desperately, what made him understand. He understood the pain of losing someone he couldn’t bear to be without. He was angry… but he understood. He understood why Shownu did what he did. 

“You can have that pathetic vampire as long as you leave our family alone,” Namjoon said, addressing Wonho. “Taehyung, Yoongi, what the fu-“

“I’m a man of my word, Namjoon, you of all people should know that.” A stranger’s voice interrupted. Shownu’s arms around Wonho loosened as the argument got more heated. He pulled Wonho back at arm’s length so he could look him in the eye, but Wonho could barely make out his face through the tears. 

“Tell me what they did.” The intensity of his voice almost scared Wonho. He knew that tone. He’d only heard it a few times, and what followed was never good.

“He… he’s dying.” He couldn’t put it into words, he couldn’t even say his name. 

“They used me to get to them, hyung. They needed Wonho to get to you, Changkyun was just in the way.” Jackson said from behind Wonho. Just the sound of his voice made Wonho snap. He pulled away from Shownu and pushed Jackson up against the wall with such force that his head slammed against it. 

“You _traitor!_ ” Shownu reached to stop him, but all he saw was red. He threw the first punch without a second thought, and Jackson didn’t even try to defend himself. 

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t know they would-“

“Shut the _fuck_ up-“

“They threatened my family, Hos-“

“I said shut _UP!_ ” He basically blacked out, his hands doing all the work for him. The cracking sounds of his knuckles against Jackson’s jaw were sickening, but his whole mind buzzed with anger. Shownu yanked him away before the demons could interfere, arms wrapped tightly around him from behind as Wonho continued to kick in Jackson’s direction. 

“Hoseok!” He ignored the shouting and put all his power into prying Shownu’s arms off of him. It wasn’t going to work, Shownu was much stronger than him. 

“Hoseok! Please, look at me. Stop this.” He froze when the voice finally registered in his head. It wasn’t Shownu. The voice belonged to someone who wasn't there. Someone who wasn’t _supposed_ to be there. Wonho felt his heart sink in his chest. It was as if his brain was trying to throw every painful thing at him at once to make sure he could never get back up again. Kihyun was gone… he wasn’t coming back.

But there he was, stepping in between him and Jackson, a concerned look in his eyes that Wonho knew all too well. He would have fallen if Shownu wasn’t still holding him. 

“Ki?” The red vanished from his eyes the second he saw him.

“Yes. It’s me.” Wonho fell to his knees in front of Kihyun and wrapped his arms around his waist as sobs tore at his throat again. He held on with no intention of letting go again, his face hidden against his soft stomach. It reminded him of all the nights he went to Kihyun when things got too hard. Kihyun had always been there for him, just like he was here now. 

“Hey shhh… It’s going to be okay. Hoseok, come on, let go.” Kihyun pulled at his arms so that he could get down to Wonho’s level and look him in the eye. Kihyun cupped his cheek with his hand, wiping his tears away with his thumb. “Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out.” 

Wonho didn’t pay attention to everything else happening around him. He didn’t pay attention to Shownu yanking Jackson up off the floor, nor the demons now arguing amongst each other. He looked at Kihyun, the world slowing down around him as he tried to calm himself down. Kihyun had that effect on people.

“He’s hurt…They hurt him.” Wonho started, a few tears escaping his eyes. “He’s dying. Ki, he’s dying and I’m not there. I’m not with him… I can’t save him. I’m never able to save him.” He was seconds away from breaking again, so Kihyun pulled him against his chest. He didn’t even know where they sent Changkyun. He couldn’t help someone he couldn’t find.

“Hyunwoo. Ask them where the kid is. _Now._ ” Kihyun said, arms tightening around Wonho. 

“That kid is probably dead by now, you shouldn’t waste your-“

“I was dead for over a week, so cut the crap. Where _is_ he?!” Wonho flinched at the statement. He didn’t want to even think about what he would do if Changkyun was really… gone. He couldn’t think about it, the thought alone hurt too much. It felt like there was a thousand-pound weight sitting on his chest, making it hard to breathe.

“If you really must know, I sent him where the action was. Someone will find him. Whether that person will help him, who knows. That’s the game.” Wonho was seconds away from going after Jungkook again, but Kihyun kept him still. They both knew it would be no use. Shownu stood between them and the demons protectively, Jackson on the floor at his feet. 

Where the action was? Wait, did he…?

“SVPC! You sent him to SVPC!” Wonho yelled, getting back on his feet as a sudden boost of adrenaline hit him. “Oh, you thought… you _thought_ you were sending him into the line of fire.” Wonho’s confidence slowly grew back as Kihyun rose behind him, all three of them staring the demons down together. 

“Well duh, they’ve been looking for him, he’s probably-“

“That’s where you’re wrong. You were too juvenile to realize who else was there. You didn’t take that into account, did you?” Kihyun reached out for Wonho’s hand as if keeping him from going too far.

“This is a waste of our time, someone just kill that emotional vampire,” Namjoon said, eyes locked on Wonho. Shownu stepped in front of him, and Yoongi moved to join him. 

“You don’t have a quarrel with him, Joon. You came here for me. We both know who would win in a fight, especially with Taehyung at my side. Leave these poor creatures out of our family drama, we don’t need more casualties right now. It is getting exhausting to cover up our tracks with all of this going on. And then their family is going to come after us… honestly, too much blood. Let’s just leave them be, you already hurt them enough.” Namjoon didn’t look very convinced, but both him and Jungkook seemed to shrink under Yoongi’s stare.

Yoongi ignored the other demons for a second and turned to Shownu, smiling as he reached out to shake his hand. 

“A deal is a deal. We’re even now, buddy. I can’t save your ass anymore, so don’t call for favors. It was nice seeing you again, though, it made me nostalgic. Now get out of here.” 

Before anyone had the time to react, Yoongi snapped his fingers and all four of them were gone. 

 

* * *

 

The building was a massacre. Jooheon was struggling to stay alive amongst the hoards of vampires. If it wasn't for Hakyeon and Sangdo’s family joining the fight, he would have been dead by now. Other vamps and humans tagged along with them when they arrived. It seemed that the SVPC had hurt a lot of people. He knew this would end bloody… but he didn’t know it would be ending so soon. He kept his eye out for the uniform jackets, making sure not to hurt anyone outside of those who worked there.

He only had his heart set on killing Jongup, but so many SVPC members kept getting in his way. It got to the point where all he saw was red, and he didn’t even know if the blood was his own or theirs. 

He hid behind a corner to reload his gun and check his pockets for the delphinium syringes. The halls echoed with screams, gunshots, and the blaring sound of the alarm. It reminded him of their fight at VEX. The day Kihyun…

He pushed the thought away as soon as it came. No one in his family was dying tonight, he wouldn’t allow it. Min was going to be okay, Hyungwon and Seulgi could hold their own, everyone was going to be safe.

That’s when he heard the scream.

 

  


End file.
